Sponge bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, this time in feet and miles for the imperial crew.

Let’s break down what Sponge Bay has for us.

First up, it’s a slow start. From Wednesday the 16th through the weekend, it’s all small, weak surf. Waves around 2ft to 3ft from the SE, with light winds. The energy is weak (around 123 to 134). Nothing to get excited about.

Thursday the 17th afternoon cleans up a bit with a gentle offshore wind from the north, but still only 2ft from the SE. The energy is low (112). It’s clean, but small.

Friday the 18th is rubbish. Onshore winds and rain spoil any chance. The swell holds at 3ft from the ESE with a 12-second period – that period could shape up nicely, but the wind and rain ruin it. Energy is moderate (194 to 200). Not worth a trip.

Saturday the 19th brings a rise in swell to 5ft to 6ft from the SSW, but the period is a weak 6 to 7 seconds. The energy (470 to 560) is moderate, but the winds are cross to cross-on. It’s messy.

Sunday the 20th is lumpy. Swell hits 7ft from the south with an 8-second period, but fresh cross-onshore winds make it choppy. Energy is moderate to strong (563). Kite surfers might have fun here, but paddle surfers will struggle.

The big one – Monday the 21st of September. The morning brings a solid 12ft south swell with a 12-second period. The combined energy is massive at 5207 – that’s very strong. Winds are light cross-offshore from the northwest. This is for experienced surfers only. The waves will be powerful, and at a beach and reef setup, they’ll be breaking hard. The offshore wind will keep it clean. This is the best session of the forecast.

The afternoon drops to 7ft from the SSE with moderate cross-offshore wind. Still clean, but energy drops to 1068. Still good for a paddle.

Tuesday the 22nd goes back to small, weak surf (2ft to 2ft) with clean winds and almost no energy (77 to 105). Small-wave board fun.

From the 23rd through the 29th, it’s mostly poor. Onshore winds and short period swell dominate. There’s a bright spot on the morning of the 27th: a clean 3ft swell from the ESE with a long 13-second period and moderate energy (268). That’s a clean, lined-up session. Crowds are possible here sometimes.

Another standout on the 30th of September. The morning offers 8ft from the SSE with a 13-second period and huge energy at 4107. Light offshore wind from the north. That’s excellent, clean, powerful surf for experienced surfers. The swell direction matches the optimum SSE. The afternoon sees 10ft from the south, but it’s too big for most.

The first of October fades to small, clean waves (3ft to 4ft) with moderate energy.

Bottom line: the first week is small and messy, with one big Monday the 21st for the experts. The second week has another gem on the 30th. Beginners should stick to the small, clean days around the 22nd or the 27th morning.

Water temp is 55°F, which is about 2°F colder than normal. A thick wetsuit is essential.

Rusty.

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