Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Hickory Bay over the next couple of weeks.

First up, the water temp is sittin’ at 51°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – nothin’ crazy, but a nice little bonus if you’re paddlin’ out.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start. Wednesday the 22nd is the first decent call. The morning session is the go: glassy conditions, light WSW wind, and a clean 3ft SSW swell with a 12-second period. The combined energy is moderate (262), and it’s a beginner-friendly wave. Crowds are only sometimes a problem here, so it’s a solid, chilled option to ease into the day.

Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th are pretty ordinary – small, weak swell, so not much to get excited about.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The weekend of the 25th and 26th sees a big jump in size, but the wind is messy. Saturday morning has a 12ft SSW swell, but it’s howlin’ cross-onshore at 35 km/h – that’s a kite-surfin’ setup, not a paddle one. Sunday morning the 26th is still pushin’ 7ft, but the wind is light and cross – still a bit too big and lumpy for a beginner spot, and the swell period is short (8 seconds), so it’s not gonna hold shape well.

The real standout comes Monday the 27th afternoon. The wind drops to glassy, and we get a 4ft ESE swell with a 13-second period (groundswell). The combined energy is strong (910) and the conditions are clean. This is the best on offer in the first week – a proper, lined-up wave for experienced surfers, with light crowds.

Tuesday the 28th morning is also a beauty: 6ft ESE swell, 14-second period, and a clean offshore wind. The energy is pumpin’ (1216), and it’s excellent for experienced surfers. But be aware, the long period (14 seconds) means these waves will be more suited to the point and reef setups – it might break a bit straight at the beach.

After that, the middle of the week gets blown out again, with a massive 12ft SW swell on the 30th. That’s too big for this spot, and the wind is cross-onshore. The 1st of August is just plain huge – 16ft to 18ft – way beyond what any beginner should be lookin’ at.

Then we get a nice little window from the 3rd of August onward. Monday the 3rd morning has a clean 5ft SE swell with an offshore breeze – very good conditions. The 4th of August is also a winner: glassy, light winds, and a 4ft to 4ft SE swell. Nice and clean.

The 5th of August brings a surprise – a 3ft to 4ft SSW swell with a very long 15-second period, and glassy conditions. That’s a rare treat for a beach break, but that long period means it’ll really only work well at the points or reefs. Combined energy is moderate (636 to 919). For the experienced surfer, this is a promising, if a little uncertain, long-range standout.

So, overall: the best waves are Monday the 27th afternoon and Tuesday the 28th morning, with the 3rd and 4th of August offerin’ clean, smaller options. The 5th of August is a promising but less certain call for the experienced crew.

Rusty.

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