
Surf Forecasts:
Sponge bay surf forecast from 9 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 12 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 9s period, SE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 10 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 10s period, SSE swell with 3,098 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 12 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 9s 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 Sunday (Jul 12) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 14s. Another secondary swell of 0.7m and 7s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Sponge bay in the next 16 days are 4.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 10) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 14) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Sun 12th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Sun 12th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Fri 10th Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Sponge bay over the next 16 days.
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ at Sponge Bay over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the first handful of days are a write-off. We’re talkin’ Thursday the 9th right through to the end of Saturday the 12th, the surf is blown out or just plain messy. Strong onshore winds and a lot of energy in the water – the combined energy is huge (1571 to 4254) – but it’s poor surf conditions, no two ways about it. You’d be wasting your time.
Sunday the 12th does see a drop in size, down to a tiny 4ft to 4ft from the ESE, but it’s still a bit onshore and the conditions are only marginal. The water is a bit colder than normal for this time of year at 56°, so keep that in mind if you’re thinking of a paddle.
From Monday the 13th through the middle of the week, the swell drops right out. We’re lookin’ at knee-high dribble, 1ft to 3ft, with clean conditions but no real push. The combined energy is weak (45 to 190). It’s surfable if you’re desperate, but it’s ordinary.
Now, hold on. There’s a little pulse of life on Friday the 17th. The swell jumps back up to 5ft from the ESE with a very long period of 15 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy (1168). But – and it’s a big but – the wind is onshore and strong at 16 mph, so it’s back to poor surf conditions. The long period should make for some nice lines at a point or reef, but at Sponge Bay, which is a beach and reef setup, that long period might make it close out or break straight. Not the day.
The real glimmer of hope comes on Sunday the 19th. The morning looks clean, with a light offshore breeze from the NNW, and a clean 5ft swell from the ESE at a solid 13-second period. The combined energy is a moderate 848, and the forecast says expect very good surf conditions. This is the standout of the whole forecast. The wind is light and cross-offshore, making for clean, peeling waves. It’s still a manageable size for most surfers, too.
Monday the 20th holds some smaller, but still clean, leftovers with a 3ft ESE swell and light cross-offshore winds. Nice if you’ve got a log.
Then we get a curveball. Tuesday the 21st brings a sudden spike: 8ft from the E with a strong breeze at 25 mph. The combined energy is huge (2182), but the conditions are marginal. That’s a messy, blown-out day for Sponge Bay.
The real trouble comes in the last few days. Thursday the 23rd afternoon sees a 10ft swell from the S, and Friday the 24th morning has a 13ft from the S, with the afternoon hitting 15ft from the S. The wind is light, even glassy on Friday afternoon, and the combined energy is massive (4484 to 6442). The forecast notes say the wind and tide are favorable, but the swell is too big for this break. That’s expert-only territory, and even then, Sponge Bay might just be a washing machine. For the average surfer, that’s a no-go zone.
So, to sum it up: the first week is a dud, with the only window being a small, clean Monday and Tuesday. The one true standout is Sunday the 19th – that’s your day. The last few days have size, but it’s too big for this spot.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 48mm), heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 13°C on Thu morning, min 9°C on Sat morning). Winds decreasing (near gales from the SSW on Thu night, light winds from the SW by Sat night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Mon afternoon, min 8°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | 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 10 | SSE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 6 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1159 | 1782 | 2570 | 1509 | 2675 | 876 | 1129 | 882 | 433 | 282 | 221 | 184 | 127 | 82 | 78 | 62 | 41 | 18 | 33 | 68 | 68 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 12:42PM1.87m | 00:59AM1.91m | 1:30PM1.89m | 1:45AM1.89m | 2:19PM1.90m | 2:38AM1.86m | 3:12PM1.90m | 3:39AM1.84m | 4:14PM1.90m | 4:47AM1.84m | 5:25PM1.93m | 5:56AM1.87m | 6:35PM1.99m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:45PM0.54m | 7:24AM0.45m | 7:35PM0.54m | 8:10AM0.42m | 8:29PM0.54m | 9:01AM0.42m | 9:28PM0.56m | 10:01AM0.43m | 10:33PM0.58m | 11:06AM0.44m | 11:47PM0.59m | 12:10PM0.44m | 00:58AM0.57m | ||||||||
7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | |
— | 5:00 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:01 | — | — | 5:01 | — | — | 5:02 | — | — | 5:04 | — | — | 5:04 | — | |
mm | 7 | 7 | 27 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 12 |
Feels °C | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 10 | E 10 |
356 | 562 | 294 | 525 | 1522 | 876 | 753 | 535 | 433 | 282 | 221 | 184 | 127 | 82 | 78 | 62 | 41 | 35 | 17 | 68 | 68 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 9 | — | — | — | SSE 17 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 19 | SSE 16 | SSE 15 | S 14 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 13 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 |
31 | — | — | — | 57 | 47 | 24 | 73 | 153 | 123 | 96 | 75 | 63 | 59 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 33 | 17 | 29 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 17 | — | — | — | — | SSE 12 | S 21 | S 14 | S 16 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | — | — | NE 12 | SSE 14 | SE 9 | SSE 12 | S 12 | ESE 8 | S 16 | ESE 16 |
56 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 34 | 16 | 195 | 49 | 35 | — | — | 5 | 19 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 12 | 5 | 25 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 10 | SSE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SSE 10 | S 8 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SSW 7 | — | — | — | — | NE 2 | NE 4 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 6 | — | — | — |
1159 | 1782 | 2570 | 1509 | 2675 | 513 | 1129 | 882 | 91 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 7 | 28 | 77 | 60 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 113 | 118 | 125 | 121 | 118 | 68 | 43 | 44 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gisborne and Mahia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.










