Sponge bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 38.70° S 178.06° E

Sponge bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 pm 28 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Sponge bay sea temperature is
12.9° C
1.4° 

Sponge bay surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Sponge bay surf forecast from 28 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 29 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 13s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 4 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 15s period, S swell with 9,567 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 29 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 13s period with ESE 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 (Jul 29) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 10s. 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 5.0m 15s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 5s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 30) at 6PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 6AM (Wed 29th Jul)5.5ft (1.7m) 13s
Best Surf 6AM (Wed 29th Jul)5.5ft (1.7m) 13s
Most Powerful 6PM (Tue 4th Aug)16ft (5.0m) 15s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Sponge bay over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Sponge Bay. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there are a couple of windows that’ll get the heart racing.

The water temp is sitting at 55°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year – a full 3° chillier, so you’ll want that thick wetsuit.

The first real chance to get wet won’t be until Wednesday the 29th of July. The swell drops to a clean 6 ft from the ESE, with a 13-second period. That’s a nice groundswell with some proper energy behind it (combined energy of 877). The wind is light and cross-off, so the face will be clean. The morning and afternoon both look good, with the wind holding off. It’s a beach and reef setup, so that long-period swell will wrap in nicely, offering some decent shape. It’s a beginner-friendly break, but the size is manageable for most.

Thursday the 30th of July keeps the good vibes rolling. The morning has a 4 ft ESE swell with a 12-second period and light offshore winds – that’s the dream. The faces will be clean and lined up. The wave energy is still solid (509). It’s a gentle offshore breeze, so you’ll get that glassy surface. The afternoon drops off a bit, but the morning is the standout.

Now, hold on, because things get wild. From the 1st of August, a massive pulse of southerly swell hits. The combined energy on the 1st afternoon is 2955, and on the 2nd of August it’s a whopping 4242. We’re looking at 10 ft to 12 ft waves from the S and SSW, but the wind is a fresh to strong cross-onshore, making it messy and lumpy. This is not for the faint of heart – it’s strictly for experts, and even then, the conditions are poor. The short period on the 1st (8 seconds) means it’s just a jumbled mess. The 4th of August sees a 13 ft monster with a 12-second period and cross-onshore winds, so that’s a hard pass. The beach break is going to be a washing machine. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for the kite surfers than paddle surfing.

The real gem in this whole 16-day window is Wednesday the 5th of August. The morning delivers a clean 7 ft swell from the SSE with a 14-second period. The wind is a light cross-off from the WNW, and the combined energy is a serious 1560. This is groundswell royalty. The long period will make paddling out easier between sets, and the waves will have serious power. It’s a bit big for beginners, but for experienced surfers, this is the best on offer. The afternoon is a step down, but the morning session is a cracker.

The rest of the second week fades out. There’s a small window on the 11th of August with a 3 ft swell and clean conditions, but it’s ordinary. Then on the 12th of August, the morning brings a 4 ft swell from the E with an 11-second period and light offshore winds. The energy is 345 – not huge, but clean and fun for a longboard. Crowds are possible at Sponge Bay, so get in early.

To sum it up: Wednesday the 29th of July and Thursday the 30th of July are your clean, fun windows. The absolute standout is the morning of Wednesday the 5th of August – that’s the one to circle on the calendar. The rest of the time, you’re either dodging onshore chaos or small waves.

Stay stoked,
Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri morning, min 8°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 19mm), heaviest on Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri afternoon, min 6°C on Sat morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSW on Sun afternoon, light winds from the SSW by Mon morning).

Tue
28
Wednesday
29
Thursday
30
Friday
31
Saturday
1
Sunday
2
Monday
3
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
1
3
3
1
2
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
3
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2
ESE
13
1.8
ESE
13
1.7
ESE
13
1.6
ESE
12
1.5
ESE
12
1.3
ESE
12
1.1
ESE
11
1
E
11
0.8
ESE
11
0.7
ESE
11
0.6
ESE
11
2.1
SSW
8
3
SSW
10
3.5
S
11
3.5
S
11
3
S
11
2
SSE
10
1.5
SE
10
1.3
SE
10
1.5
S
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1359
1134
853
749
603
422
314
251
161
126
95
469
1970
3188
3023
1992
778
432
328
440
Wind (km/h)
20
SSW
10
WSW
10
WNW
15
NE
20
NW
15
NNW
15
NNW
15
NNW
20
NW
20
NW
30
WNW
20
SW
35
SSW
40
SW
35
SW
45
SSW
45
SSW
15
WSW
10
ESE
15
WNW
Wind State
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
5:20PM1.69m
5:36AM1.66m
6:18PM1.74m
6:27AM1.71m
7:03PM1.80m
7:13AM1.77m
7:44PM1.87m
7:57AM1.82m
8:24PM1.93m
8:38AM1.87m
9:03PM1.97m
9:19AM1.89m
9:43PM1.98m
Low Tide
11:34PM0.83m
11:47AM0.74m
00:30AM0.80m
12:36PM0.70m
1:18AM0.75m
1:20PM0.65m
2:00AM0.69m
2:02PM0.60m
2:41AM0.63m
2:43PM0.56m
3:20AM0.58m
3:24PM0.54m
cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:13
7:11
7:11
7:09
7:09
7:07
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:14
5:15
5:15
5:16
5:17
5:19
5:20
 mm
3
5
5
1
2
3
Temp °C
11
11
12
13
10
15
15
14
16
16
12
8
8
7
9
9
10
9
9
10
Feels °C
6
7
9
9
6
11
11
10
11
11
6
3
-2
-3
-1
-2
2
6
6
4
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
How to use the Wavefinder 
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Sponge bay:

join our community of surf reporters

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Sponge bay surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.


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.

Nearest locationNearest