Sponge bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s cooking at Sponge Bay.

Honestly, the next week or so looks pretty average. There’s some solid swell coming through, real solid, but the wind is going to be a constant thorn in our side for most of it. You’ll have to wait a good while for a real window of clean surf. The best of it will be a couple of days next week, but that’s a long way off.

Overview

Right now through the early part of the week, Sponge Bay is getting hammered. We’ve got a strong S/SSE swell running, with heights around 7ft to 12ft on Monday and Tuesday, and the combined wave energy is huge – between 1400 and over 5300 on Wednesday. That’s serious power, but the wind is just plain ugly. On Monday it’s howling from the south at 25 mph onshore, and Tuesday and Wednesday it’s a strong cross-onshore mess. The water’s also a bit colder than normal for this time of year at 55°, about 3° off. All that adds up to poor conditions. Not worth paddling out. Those big 10ft+ swells are really only for experts anyway.

Thursday 20th & Friday 21st

Thursday morning sees a bit of a drop in the wind, with a WSW breeze around 12 mph. Swell is down to a moderate 8ft from the SSW, but it’s still a cross-onshore chop. The afternoon flattens right out to 4ft with short-period 8 second SE swell. Not much doing.

Finally, on Friday 21st, we get our first real window. Friday morning brings a small but clean 3ft ESE swell with a light offshore breeze from the NNW at just 6 mph. The energy is low (287), but it’ll be clean. The standout, though, is Friday afternoon. The wind shifts to a light cross-offshore from the NW at 6 mph, and a new long-period 16 second groundswell from the SSE rolls in at a tidy 3ft. Combined energy is moderate at 711. That’s your best bet in the short term – real clean, lined-up waves. Just keep in mind those long-period 16 second swells can run a bit straight at a beach setup like Sponge Bay, but it’s still the pick of the week.

Saturday 22nd through to Tuesday 26th

Saturday and Sunday are small and clean, but the waves drop away. Swell heights go from 2ft to just 1.0ft with not much energy behind them (59-198). It’s clean again with a cross-offshore breeze, but you’ll be fighting for scraps. Monday 24th has a tiny clean bump with a 2ft SSE groundswell and a light offshore breeze in the afternoon. Not great, but you could get a fun little slide if you’re desperate.

The Real Standout: Wednesday 26th & Thursday 27th

Now, if you can wait, the best of the whole outlook arrives next week. On Wednesday 26th August, we get a freshening offshore wind from the NNW at 19 mph. Swell builds to a solid 5ft from the SSE, with a very long 15 second period. The energy is strong, at 1185. The afternoon is even better: offshore wind holds at 19 mph, the swell settles to a still punchy 5ft, and the wave comment is "fresh offshore and clean." This is the one to pencil in. That’s proper groundswell with clean faces. It’s a little on the bigger side for beginners, but for everyone else, it’s the best on offer.

Thursday 27th also looks good. A light WNW breeze keeps things clean in the morning with a 3ft SSE swell, and the afternoon has a moderate offshore from the NNW at 16 mph and a long 16 second period on a 3ft SSE swell. Still very surfable.

The End of the Run

After that, things fall apart again. A near-gale from the southwest on Friday 28th blows everything out with 5ft to 6ft slop and crazy wind. The weekend of the 29th and 30th is sloppy cross-onshore with some rain showers and lumpy conditions. The very last day, Tuesday 1st September, has barely any swell left (2ft) and is onshore again. A flat, windy finish.

So, to sum it up: this run starts blown out, the only good surf in the first week is Friday afternoon (21st), then you wait for the real deal on Wednesday 26th (afternoon) and Thursday 27th. After that, it’s back to the washing machine. The water temperature stays a bit colder than normal, around 54-55°, so you’ll want a good suit. Sponge Bay is fairly consistent but it gets a crowd sometimes, so when that clean Friday rolls in, expect some company.

Rusty.

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