Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks. Rusty here. Let’s break down the swell window for you.

The first couple of days are a total write-off. Friday the 31st and Saturday the 1st are either blown out or way too big for this break. So, we’re sitting on our hands for a bit. The first real opportunity to get a decent wave is Sunday morning, August 2nd.

The standout is Hickory Bay (Banks Peninsula). Sunday morning, August 2nd, is the best of the whole run. The sky is clear, the wind is light from the NW, giving us a clean cross-off breeze. The wave height is 1.7m (about 6 feet) from the SSE, and with a period of 12 seconds, it’s a proper groundswell with good energy. The combined wave energy is 1107 (moderate), so it’s got some push but shouldn’t be a monster. Conditions are clean, and the crowd is only a *sometimes* thing, so you might get a few sets to yourself. This is for the surfer with some experience, but it’s very manageable. The water temp is about what you’d expect for this time of year, nothing unusual.

Sunday afternoon, August 2nd, is also a beauty. The swell drops to 1.4m (about 5 feet) from the SE, but the wind goes fully offshore from the NNW at 10 km/h (6 mph). Glassy, clean perfection. The energy is a bit lower at 760 (weak to moderate), but for a beginner-friendly spot, this is a dream session. That’s a great all-rounder day.

After that, the swell takes a turn for the bigger. Monday the 3rd and Tuesday the 4th see a jump to 2.1m to 4.5m (7 to 15 feet) with a lot of cross-onshore wind, making it lumpy and messy – really only for the hardcore. Then from Wednesday the 5th to Thursday the 6th, the swell backs off (1.4m to 1.6m / 5 to 5 feet) and the wind goes light and even glassy, which is nice, but the energy is moderate and the wave comment is “marginal.” It’s fine, but not a standout.

From Friday the 7th onwards, the long-range forecast shows a lot of moderate to large ENE swell (2.0m to 4.5m / 7 to 15 feet) with mostly cross-off winds. The energy numbers are huge (up to 7823 on the 11th), which is strong to very strong. But the wave comments are all about the swell being too big for this break, or marginal. The wind is clean, but for a beginner spot, this is getting into expert-only territory. The 11th and 12th of August look like a proper big-wave session for the brave, but it’s going to be a washing machine for most of us. The 14th and 15th still have size (2.1m to 2.5m / 7 to 8 feet) but the wind is clean, so it’s a solid, if not perfect, option for the experienced crew.

So, to sum it up: the best on offer is Sunday, August 2nd – morning and afternoon. That’s where the magic happens. Don’t get your hopes up for the rest of the week unless you’re ready for some serious size.

Rusty.

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