
Surf Forecasts:
Sponge bay surf forecast from 22 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 26 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 12s period, SSW swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 12s period, SSW swell with 3,806 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 22 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 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 Wednesday (Jul 22) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m 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 3.5m 12s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 6s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 25) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Sponge bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, mate, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Sponge Bay.
Straight up, the next week and a half is a bit of a mixed bag. We’re seeing a few windows of clean, rideable swell, but there are also some wild, windy days you’ll want to dodge. The water is sitting at 55°, which is a touch colder than you’d expect for this time of year – a bit of a shock to the system if you’re not rugged up in a good steamer.
The standout is actually shaping up to be Wednesday, the 29th of July. That afternoon session at Sponge Bay is looking real nice. We’ve got a clean 5ft swell rolling in from the ESE with a solid period of 13 seconds, and the wind is almost nothing out of the WNW. That’s cross-offshore and glassy, so you’re looking at some proper, clean lines. The energy is a solid 992 (moderate), and it’s not going to be a zoo. The morning is also decent, but the afternoon is where it’s at.
Before that, the 22nd of July (Wednesday) is your next best bet. Morning has a 3ft SSE swell at 13 seconds, with a light WNW cross-offshore breeze. The water’s a bit colder, but the conditions are clean and the energy is moderate (299). It’s a good, easy paddle, but don’t expect anything too big.
Now, we’ve got to talk about the elephant in the room. From the 26th of July onwards, things get woolly. The swell jumps up, but the wind comes in hard from the south and southwest. That big 6ft to 8ft swell on the 26th and 27th is going to be blown-out and choppy. It’s a beach and reef setup, so with that strong onshore wind, it’s actually looking more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. The energy is huge (1178 to 2226), but the quality is poor.
Further out, the 1st of August brings a massive, angry swell – 10ft to 12ft from the SSW – but it’s pinned to 28 mph onshore winds. That’s a big, messy, dangerous mess. That’s for experts only, and even then, it’s a full-on, heavy day. The 2nd of August is even bigger, with an 18ft swell, but the same story with the wind. It’s a pass.
The 3rd of August (Monday) might offer a slight reprieve, with an 8ft SSW swell dropping, but the wind is still side-onshore. It’s marginal, and the period is a short 9 seconds, so the waves won’t have much push.
The 4th of August (Tuesday) morning is a nice little clean-up. 4ft from the SE, a light NW cross-off breeze, and clean conditions. The energy is moderate (533), but it’s a solid, fun morning surf.
The rest of the forecast is pretty ordinary – small, weak, or blown out. The 5th and 6th of August are mostly small, clean but tiny, or onshore and messy.
So, to wrap it up: lock in the afternoon of the 29th of July for the best waves. The 22nd of July morning is a solid second option. The middle of the second week is a write-off, but the 4th of August morning might give you a little clean-up set. Keep an eye on the charts, but for now, it’s a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Fri night. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu afternoon, min 7°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 13°C on Sat morning, min 5°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Sat afternoon, light winds from the WSW by Sun morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | |||||||||||||||
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 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | ESE 11 | E 12 | E 11 | E 11 | SSW 11 | SSE 12 | S 11 | S 9 | ESE 13 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
257 | 187 | 189 | 86 | 56 | 23 | 19 | 13 | 138 | 152 | 151 | 1403 | 887 | 1338 | 1062 | 555 | 746 | 704 | 735 | 693 | 961 | |
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 | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 12:13PM1.94m | 00:29AM1.96m | 12:59PM1.88m | 1:10AM1.87m | 1:42PM1.82m | 1:52AM1.78m | 2:25PM1.76m | 2:39AM1.70m | 3:12PM1.71m | 3:34AM1.65m | 4:09PM1.68m | 4:36AM1.63m | 5:20PM1.69m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:19PM0.64m | 6:49AM0.58m | 7:05PM0.70m | 7:32AM0.62m | 7:52PM0.75m | 8:14AM0.67m | 8:41PM0.79m | 9:00AM0.72m | 9:33PM0.82m | 9:52AM0.75m | 10:32PM0.84m | 10:51AM0.76m | 11:34PM0.83m | ||||||||
7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | |
— | 5:09 | — | — | 5:09 | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:12 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | 5:14 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 10 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 9 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 8 |
Feels °C | 8 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | ENE 4 | ENE 6 | ENE 8 | E 12 | E 11 | E 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 13 |
257 | 187 | 189 | 86 | 56 | 6 | 7 | 24 | 138 | 152 | 151 | 750 | 887 | 631 | 549 | 340 | 746 | 704 | 735 | 693 | 961 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SE 18 | SE 17 | ESE 16 | ESE 14 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 |
42 | 36 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 19 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 77 | 162 | 233 | 257 | 246 | 555 | 292 | 203 | 188 | 176 | 314 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 4 | E 4 | E 4 | E 4 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 11 | SE 11 | S 18 | NNE 6 | E 11 | E 11 | — | — | — | SSW 14 | S 14 | S 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 |
— | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 19 | 6 | 3 | 83 | 58 | — | — | — | 37 | 33 | 27 | 24 | 12 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | ENE 4 | ENE 6 | — | — | — | NE 4 | NW 2 | SW 5 | SSW 11 | — | S 11 | S 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | 2 | 15 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 14 | 1403 | — | 1338 | 1062 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 36 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 489 | 5 | 3 | 53 | 10 | 5 | 110 | 42 | 1 | 43 | 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.










