Surf Forecasts:
Sponge bay surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 14s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 28 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 17s period, SSE swell with 1,217 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 22 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 13s period with SSE 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 Saturday (Aug 22) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s. 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 1.4m 17s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 28) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 27) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Mon 24th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Sponge bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer at Sponge Bay.
The short version is, this is a real mixed bag over the next 16 days. The water is a bit colder than normal for this time of year at 55°, so you’ll want a good wetsuit.
The standout session is the first one. Friday afternoon, the 21st of August, is your best bet. We’ve got a clean 4 ft swell from the SSE, and that’s a long-period groundswell at 16 seconds, so it’ll have some real grunt to it. The wind is a gentle cross-off from the ENE, keeping the surface clean. The combined wave energy is a solid 691. It’s not huge, but the quality is there. It’s a fairly consistent beach and reef setup, so expect some banks to work. Crowds are possible, but with the conditions this good, it might be worth an early paddle.
The next clear highlight is on the morning of Thursday the 27th of August. Another clean morning with a 4 ft SSE swell, this time at 15 seconds. The wind is a gentle cross-off from the NW, and the energy is 516. It’s not quite as punchy as the 21st, but it’s still a solid session.
Now, for the rest of the run. The weekend of the 22nd and 23rd is small and ordinary, with a lot of NW wind. The swell drops right off into the middle of the week, with some days barely offering a ripple. The 26th of August morning has a very long-period 18-second swell, but it’s only 2 ft, and that kind of period can make a beach break like this a bit too straight and hard to catch. The 1st of September morning looks bigger at 5 ft, but the wind is gusty from the NW at 19 mph, which will mess it up.
The biggest wave energy comes on the 3rd of September, with a 7 ft SSE swell and a period of 14 seconds, pushing a massive 1449 energy. But the wind is a moderate cross-off from the NNW, and the overall rating is poor. At that size, Sponge Bay is only for experts, and the conditions aren’t clean enough to make it a standout. The 5th of September is a dead loss with onshore wind.
Overall, if you’re looking to get wet, you’ve got a couple of clean, quality windows. The 21st of August is the clear winner. After that, the 27th of August is worth a look. The long-range stuff on the 3rd of September is promising in size, but less certain on the quality. There are long gaps of poor surf in between, so don’t expect a party every day.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat afternoon, min 7°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu morning, min 9°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | ||||||||||||||
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 16 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | ESE 13 | SSE 8 | SSE 11 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 14 | SSE 18 | SSE 16 | SSE 15 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | SSE 17 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 568 | 242 | 230 | 156 | 105 | 55 | 33 | 33 | 73 | 314 | 538 | 206 | 153 | 70 | 322 | 263 | 331 | 505 | 389 | 1217 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 00:30AM1.79m | 1:01PM1.78m | 1:14AM1.71m | 1:46PM1.73m | 2:05AM1.65m | 2:36PM1.70m | 3:08AM1.63m | 3:41PM1.69m | 4:20AM1.65m | 4:58PM1.73m | 5:17AM1.71m | 5:51PM1.81m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:28PM0.72m | 6:53AM0.69m | 7:17PM0.77m | 7:38AM0.75m | 8:09PM0.81m | 8:27AM0.80m | 9:07PM0.83m | 9:27AM0.82m | 10:10PM0.83m | 10:32AM0.78m | 11:11PM0.79m | 11:26AM0.72m | 00:02AM0.73m | |||||||
 |  | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — |
 | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 10 | 15 | 17 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 20 | 13 |
Feels °C | 8 | 7 | 12 | 14 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 16 | 17 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 16 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | ESE 13 | SSE 8 | SSE 11 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 18 | SSE 16 | SSE 15 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | SSE 17 |
| kJ | 568 | 242 | 230 | 156 | 105 | 55 | 25 | 33 | 73 | 314 | 538 | 206 | 153 | 66 | 322 | 263 | 331 | 505 | 389 | 1217 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | SSE 10 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | SSE 16 | SSE 14 | ESE 13 | SSE 9 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | SSE 18 | ENE 10 |
| kJ | 123 | 63 | 30 | 17 | 32 | 34 | 33 | 9 | 17 | 15 | 32 | 32 | 50 | 70 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 178 | 20 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSE 16 | E 14 | E 14 | SE 8 | SE 10 | NE 4 | NE 5 | N 5 | N 9 | NE 11 | S 18 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 | ESE 14 | ESE 11 | NE 10 | NE 10 | ESE 11 | — |
| kJ | — | 97 | 4 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 14 | 18 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 12 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NNE 3 | NW 2 | — | — | — | NW 3 | WNW 2 | — | — | NNE 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
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.
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