Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, taking a long hard look at what’s coming up for us at Hickory Bay (Banks Peninsula). This is a pretty interesting run, but we've got to be patient. Let’s break it down.

We start off with a bit of a waiting game. The first decent look we get is Saturday, July 11th. It’s not a standout by any means, but there’s something on offer. We’re looking at a long-period 4ft SSW groundswell, but the wind is coming across from the WSW, making things a little bumpy. The energy's there, sitting at 1093 (moderate wave energy), but the quality is a bit marginal. The afternoon shapes up much nicer as the wind goes glassy from the WNW, but the swell drops a fraction.

Sunday the 12th sees cleaner conditions. The wind goes offshore from the north, and we’ve got a clean 3ft to 3ft SSW swell pushing in. The energy drops off through the day from 348 to 269, but it’s still fun, clean little waves for a beginner. The wind picks up a bit Sunday afternoon, but it stays offshore.

Monday the 13th is still clean with a gentle offshore, but the swell is fading, dropping from 3ft down to 2ft. The energy gets pretty weak by the afternoon (147) and that fresh offshore breeze will make the surface a bit bumpy.

Tuesday the 14th throws a bit of a curveball. A new, short-period 5ft NE swell shows up in the morning, but the period is tiny, only 7 seconds. The wind is cross-off, keeping it clean, but that energy is moderate at 202. Just not the best shape.

Wednesday and Thursday the 15th and 16th are small and messy. However, Thursday afternoon is a real gem. The wind drops to glass, dead calm, and we get a clean 2ft ESE groundswell with a nice 16-second period. The energy jumps to 290, and it’s clean as a whistle. A sneaky good session for anyone paying attention.

Now, the first real standout for me is Friday the 17th, and especially the afternoon. That ESE swell is still holding at 4ft, period is a solid 15 seconds, and the energy is strong at 903. But the big news is the wind. It swings offshore from the north, and the report is calling it clean with very good conditions. This is the pick of the first week. Get in the water Friday afternoon.

We then get a big, ugly southerly blast Saturday the 18th. Swell jumps to a massive 10ft to 12ft from the SSW, but the wind is howling onshore at 28 mph. The energy goes through the roof (3285), but it’s unsurfable here. This is a hard pass.

Sunday the 19th is a classic case of too much of a good thing. The swell is a solid 8ft from the south with a 16-second period, and the wind is offshore from the north, making it clean. The energy is enormous (3537). But for Hickory Bay, for a beginner spot, that is way too big. Experts only, and even then, it might be a handful.

Monday the 20th is where things settle down. We get a 6ft SSW groundswell in the morning, and the wind is a light cross-off from the NW. The energy is still strong at 1274, and it’s calling it excellent for experienced surfers. By the afternoon it drops to 5ft, and it remains clean. This is a great window for the more capable crew.

Tuesday the 21st keeps pumping. The morning has a 5ft S swell with offshore winds, and the afternoon is even better: 5ft from the south with a 15-second period and the same clean offshore wind. Energy is 1557. This is another top-shelf session.

From Wednesday the 22nd onwards, we see the swell slowly ease off. The winds stay mostly cross-off or light, keeping things clean, but the size drops from 4ft on Wednesday down to 2ft by the 23rd.

We get a nice little pulse of clean, glassy surf on the morning of the 24th (Friday) with a 3ft SSW groundswell and a long 17-second period. The energy is decent at 607. It’s glassy and clean. Good little session.

The last few days through to the 26th are small and clean, nothing to get too worked up about. Just fun little waves if you’re keen.

If I had to pick the two absolute standouts, it's the Friday 17th afternoon with that offshore ESE swell, and the Tuesday 21st afternoon with the nice, clean S swell. Honorable mention to Monday the 20th for the bigger, more powerful stuff.

Alright, that’s the call from me. Stay patient and pick your windows.
Rusty

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