Surf Forecasts:
Sponge bay surf forecast from 6 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 12 Sep, 3PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, S swell with cross-onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 13 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 17s period, SSE swell with 3,053 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 9 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 7s period with SE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Sponge bay this week:
The surf forecast for Sponge bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 09) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 7s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Sponge bay in the next 16 days are 2.4m 17s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 13) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Wed 9th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 3PM (Sat 12th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Sun 13th Sep) | 8ft (2.4m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Sponge bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what Sponge Bay has got cookin' for us over the next couple of weeks.
Honestly, it's a pretty bleak picture for the most part. We've got a big gap of junk surf before a couple of days that might just get the heart pumping, but you gotta be patient. The water temp is sittin' right where it should be for this time of year, nothing unusual there.
The first real highlight doesn't show up until Monday the 14th of September. Monday morning is lookin' like the standout of the whole run. We've got a solid 6ft SSE groundswell rollin' in, with a long 14-second period. That kind of energy will put some proper shape in the waves. What's got me excited is the wind – a light to moderate offshore breeze from the northwest. That's gonna groom the faces clean, making for some absolutely rippable conditions. This is the one to circle on the calendar. It's a fairly consistent spot, so it should deliver a few good ones.
The day before, Sunday the 13th, is a different story. There's plenty of swell – over 7ft – but it's coming with onshore winds, so it's gonna be messy. That's more of a kiteboarding day.
The Monday afternoon on the 14th drops off a bit, with 5ft and lighter cross-shore winds. It's surfable, but nothing special compared to the morning session. Then Tuesday the 15th, we're back down to knee-shredding 3ft, clean but small. After that, it's a long stretch of tiny or windy junk all the way through to the end of the outlook. From the 16th onward, you're looking at a lot of nothing, with poor conditions and small swell.
So, to wrap it up: the whole period is a long wait for one proper session. If you've got the time, Monday morning the 14th is your only real shot at something decent at Sponge Bay. Keep an eye on the forecasts, because a little change in the wind could open up a few more windows, but as it stands, that's your best bet.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon morning, min 8°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Mon night, light winds from the W by Wed morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Thu night. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu morning, min 8°C on Wed night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||
Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | ||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 17 | SSE 16 | SSE 11 | SSE 9 | S 8 | ESE 8 | S 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SSE 15 | SSE 7 | S 8 | SSE 18 | SSE 17 | S 9 | SSE 16 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 96 | 26 | 12 | 699 | 1208 | 219 | 446 | 179 | 141 | 89 | 48 | 37 | 45 | 310 | 809 | 104 | 59 | 1228 | 2491 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:09AM1.78m | 1:45PM1.84m | 2:13AM1.74m | 2:51PM1.83m | 3:33AM1.75m | 4:11PM1.86m | 4:48AM1.81m | 5:18PM1.94m | 5:44AM1.88m | 6:09PM2.01m | 6:33AM1.95m | 6:53PM2.05m | |||||||
Low Tide | 7:32AM0.54m | 8:06PM0.66m | 8:34AM0.56m | 9:17PM0.66m | 9:47AM0.55m | 10:31PM0.62m | 10:55AM0.51m | 11:34PM0.55m | 11:50AM0.46m | 00:26AM0.48m | 12:37PM0.42m | 1:10AM0.44m | |||||||
 |  | |  | | | |  | |  | |  |  |  |  | | | | | |
 | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — |
 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — |
mm | — | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 4 | — | 1 | 3 | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 17 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 9 |
Feels °C | 13 | 13 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 17 | SSE 12 | S 5 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SSE 19 | SSE 8 | S 8 | SE 7 | SSE 9 | SSE 16 |
| kJ | 96 | 14 | 4 | 699 | 675 | 219 | 248 | 179 | 141 | 89 | 48 | 37 | 22 | 71 | 373 | 76 | 23 | 541 | 2491 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | SSE 16 | SSE 11 | NE 6 | S 14 | S 15 | E 15 | E 15 | NE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | SSE 18 | SE 7 | SSE 17 | SSE 16 | E 13 |
| kJ | 2 | 26 | 12 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 45 | 40 | 109 | 52 | 59 | 91 | 3 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NE 4 | ENE 5 | E 10 | E 16 | E 16 | S 13 | S 21 | E 15 | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | E 8 | ENE 13 | E 13 | SSE 18 | E 13 | E 13 | — |
| kJ | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 18 | 14 | 104 | 3 | 3 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SSW 5 | SW 5 | S 8 | S 7 | S 8 | — | — | N 2 | WNW 2 | — | — | SSE 7 | S 8 | — | S 6 | S 9 | — |
| kJ | — | — | 5 | 53 | 1208 | 205 | 446 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 310 | 809 | — | 49 | 1228 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 3 | 19 | 42 | 68 | 113 | 10 | 1 | 44 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 36 | 53 | 36 | 0 | 53 | 36 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gisborne and Mahia | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Sponge bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Sponge bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Sponge bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Sponge bay surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Sponge bay) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Sponge bay may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Are you planning a holiday in Gisborne and Mahia? If you are looking for accommodation near Sponge bay, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Gisborne and Mahia, consider staying in Gisborne which is 8 km (5 miles) away.
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