Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here, lookin' at the Banks Peninsula. Alright, so the good news is there's surf on the horizon, but we gotta be patient. The first few days are a complete write-off. Saturday the 1st brings a massive, howling south swell, 13ft, with a strong cross-onshore wind. It's a total mess for paddling, more like a washing machine. The water is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year at 51°F.

Sunday the 2nd, and everything flips. The swell drops right back to a clean 4ft from the SSE, and the wind goes light and offshore. We're talking clear skies and clean conditions. The energy is moderate (956), and it's got a nice 11-second period. This is your window. It's not a giant, but it's gonna be fun, clean, and perfect for a beginner.

Monday the 3rd keeps that same vibe through the morning – 4ft SSW, clean, with a light cross-offshore breeze. But then the arvo turns ugly. The wind swings onshore and howls, the swell jumps back up to 8ft, and the energy rockets up to 3821. Back to square one.

The rest of the first week is a mess of huge, powerful swells (10ft to 16ft) and strong, messy winds. There are a few moments on Wednesday the 5th and Thursday the 6th where the wind drops right off, going glassy, and the swell is still big (8ft and 6ft respectively). The energy is still strong (1684 and 907). For a confident, experienced surfer, the glassy Thursday morning (6th) with that 6ft SE swell could be a real standout, but it's definitely expert territory.

Friday the 7th and Saturday the 8th, the swell is still a bit too big for the average punter (8ft and 5ft) but the wind stays clean and offshore. Lots of energy in the water.

Then we hit a gap. From Sunday the 9th right through to Friday the 14th, the surf is just small and marginal. The swell drops to 3ft to 6ft, but the wind is mostly cross-onshore or the period is short. It's a bit of a dead zone.

The real long-range promise comes on Saturday the 15th. The swell drops to 3ft, but hold on – the period is a massive 19 seconds! That's a very long-period groundswell from the SSW. The wind is light and offshore. The energy is still moderate (886). That's a classic set-up for a point break or a reef, but at Hickory Bay, a beach break, that long period might make it a bit too straight. Still, it's the best-looking option in the second week.

The final day, Sunday the 16th, is a write-off again with a strong cross-onshore wind.

So, the standout for me is Sunday the 2nd. It's clean, the swell is a friendly 4ft, the wind is offshore, and the energy is just right. For the confident crew, the glassy Thursday morning (6th) is a big-wave option. And for the long-range punt, keep an eye on Saturday the 15th – that 19-second period is a rare treat, but it's a long way off.

Rusty, signing off.

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