Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Hickory Bay. This spot is a bit of a waiting game over the next sixteen days. There’s a lot of potential, but a lot of it is going to be too much for a paddle board. The water’s sitting at 51°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s a nice little bonus.

We kick things off on Tuesday the 25th with some clean, 4ft swell from the SSW. The combined energy is moderate at 675, and with a 15-second period, there’s some real push behind it. A light cross-offshore breeze will keep the face tidy. It’s a beginner-friendly wave at this size, so it’s a good place to start the run.

Wednesday the 26th morning is the first real standout. The wind goes glassy – dead still – and the swell holds at 4ft from the SSW with a 14-second period. Combined energy is 615. That’s going to be silky smooth, clean lines. This is the best session of the first week.

Thursday the 27th gets a bit spicy. The swell jumps to 8ft from the S with a long 16-second period. That’s a lot of water moving – combined energy is way up at 2640. For a beginner-friendly spot like Hickory Bay, this is getting into the too-big territory, only for the experienced crew. The wind is offshore though, so it’ll be a clean, heavy wall.

Friday the 28th morning is a write-off for paddle surfing. There’s a 10ft swell from the NE with a short 8-second period. Combined energy is 1218, and with a strong offshore wind, this setup is more interesting for kite surfing than a surfboard. The afternoon drops right back to 3ft – not worth the paddle.

There’s a bit of a lull from Saturday the 29th through Sunday the 30th. Small, ordinary waves with messy wind on Sunday. Not much to write home about.

Now, here’s the big one. Monday the 31st of August and into Tuesday the 1st of September, we see a massive pulse. Swells of 13ft and 12ft from the SSW and S, with periods of 16 and 14 seconds. The combined energy is astronomical – 7884 and 5276. That is pure, raw power, but it is way, way too big for Hickory Bay. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it’s going to be a washing machine.

Wednesday the 2nd of September is a write-off with 25 mph offshore winds – clean, but near impossible to get into the waves. The rest of the week gets chopped up by strong onshores and messy conditions.

There is a glimmer of hope on Sunday the 6th of September. A clean 6ft swell from the S, combined energy of 638, with light cross-offshore winds. It’s not a standout, but it’s a solid end to the run. After that, the last few days are small and clean but barely breaking.

If you’re a beginner, stick to Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th morning. The big stuff at the end of August and start of September is for the brave or the foolish. For now, Wednesday morning is your best bet before everything gets too wild.

Rusty.

Read more