Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’m just gonna level with you: this is a rough patch for Hickory Bay. We’ve got a 16-day window, and the first few days are a write-off. Not a single standout session in the whole run, and a lot of the time the swell is just too big for the spot or the wind is working against it. Thursday the 9th and Friday the 10th are shot with strong onshore winds and messy, lumpy surf. The swell is pushing 7ft to 7ft from the east, with a short period around 10 seconds, and the combined energy is high (1607 to 2043), but it’s all just blown out and uninviting.

Saturday the 11th shows a hint of hope. The morning is still a bit cross-onshore with a 4ft south swell, but the period jumps to a very long 17 seconds, which is proper groundswell. Combined energy is moderate (1080). The afternoon is the real tease: glassy conditions, 4ft of south swell at 15 seconds, and a clean face. The waves should be well-shaped, but the rating is low, and it’s just not consistent enough to call a winner. After that, the swell drops right off through Sunday and Monday, down to 2ft to 3ft, with weak energy (105 to 350). The wind is offshore, but there’s just no juice.

Then we hit a rough patch from the 15th to the 17th – small, weak, and onshore. The swell energy is low (133 to 787), and the conditions are poor. From the 18th of July onward, the swell really cranks up, but it’s too much for Hickory Bay. The 18th has 8ft from the ENE, and the 19th and 20th see 12ft from the same direction, with combined energy hitting 2916 to 2948 – that’s very strong. The wind is cross-offshore and clean, but the wave comment says it’s too big for the break. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it’s likely a washing machine. The 21st and beyond drop back to 3ft to 5ft, but the wind is howling from the NE at 18 to 25 mph, making it a blown-out mess.

The only real highlight, if you can call it that, is the Saturday afternoon on the 11th. The glassy conditions on that 4ft south groundswell (15-second period) will be the cleanest you’ll see. The combined energy is 795, which is moderate, and the offshore wind is practically non-existent. Expect a few lined-up runners, but it’s inconsistent and the crowd can show up sometimes. For a beginner-friendly break, it’s manageable. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no shock there.

Overall, this is a long, dry spell. Hickory Bay is a fairly consistent spot, but this run is a dud. The first week is a bust, and the second week brings too much swell or too much wind. Don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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