Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Hickory Bay over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there are a couple of windows that’ll get the heart rate up.

We start off with a bit of a tease this Sunday morning, the 9th. There’s some swell pushing in at 6ft from the NE, but it’s a short-period, wind-swell deal at 7 seconds. The offshore wind is light and it looks clean, but it’s not going to be anything to write home about. The energy is still moderate at 458. The water is sitting at 50°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – not a big deal, but you might not need the thickest hood.

The surf goes a bit flat and messy through Monday and into Tuesday morning. The swell drops and the wind swings onshore, making things choppy. Not worth the paddle.

Then we get a little pulse of life on Tuesday the 11th. The morning session has 5ft of SSE swell with a light cross-offshore breeze and clean conditions. It’s still a bit short in period at 8 seconds, but it’s a chance to get wet. The energy is moderate at 317.

Wednesday the 12th is where things get interesting, but it might be a case of “too much of a good thing.” The swell jumps to 8ft from the NE, with a fresh cross-offshore wind. The energy is strong at 644. The forecast notes the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. For a beginner, this is a no-go. For the more experienced crew, it could be a handful, but the wind is clean. It’s worth a look if you’re confident.

Thursday the 13th looks like the pick of the first week. The swell settles to a manageable 5ft from the ENE, with a light offshore breeze in the morning and a light cross-off in the arvo. The period stretches to 8 seconds. The energy is moderate at 345. It’s clean, it’s consistent, and it should be fun on the right bank. This is your best bet for a proper surf.

From Friday the 14th through to the 17th, it turns ugly. The wind goes onshore and strengthens, the swell gets lumpy and messy. There’s a big spike of S swell on the 16th, hitting 13ft, but it’s accompanied by strong cross-onshore winds. The energy is massive at 2813, but it’s a washing machine. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-surfing one. Saturday the 15th is also blown out with a strong breeze.

The 17th and 18th see the swell drop but the winds stay cross-onshore, and it’s still too big – 8ft from the SSW on the 17th and 8ft on the 18th. It’s just not lining up.

Now, for the second week, keep an eye on Thursday the 20th. The morning is looking clean with a light offshore, and the swell drops to 6ft from the S with a 12-second period. The energy is moderate at 787. This is a solid groundswell, and it should have some push. It’s promising.

Then we have the standout of the whole run. Friday the 21st. The morning is glassy with no wind, and the swell is a solid 7ft from the S with a long 15-second period. This is a serious groundswell. The energy is very strong at 2197. The afternoon is clean with a light cross-offshore and the swell still at 7ft. This is for experienced surfers only. The long period could make it a bit straight at the beach breaks, but if you can find the right bank, it’ll be epic. This is the one to circle on the calendar.

After that, it fades out. Saturday the 22nd has some clean, small waves – around 3ft from the SSE with a gentle offshore. Sunday and Monday are just tiny leftovers, clean but small.

So, the long-range stuff for the 20th and 21st looks the best, but remember it’s a while away and things can change. For now, get on Thursday the 13th and keep your fingers crossed for that Friday the 21st.

Rusty.

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