Sponge bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at what’s on offer for Sponge Bay over the next couple of weeks. First things first, the water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing weird going on there. Sponge Bay is a beach and reef setup, beginner-friendly, and it picks up swell from the SSE pretty well. The overall pattern? It’s pretty grim for a while, a few windows pop up, and then there’s one massive, almost overwhelming day that will get your attention.

We kick off with the first bit of hope on Thursday, September 3rd. Morning sees a 4 ft SSE swell rolling in with a solid 13-second period, cross-off wind from the NW, and the wave energy is sitting at 506 (moderate). It’s clean but the call is marginal on the tide. The afternoon drops a little to 3 ft, same direction and period, lighter NW wind, and the energy eases to 318. It’s still clean and the conditions are good, but it’s not going to blow anyone away. This is the best we’ve got for the first few days.

Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th are a write-off. Swell drops way down to 2 ft and 1 ft, wind is cross-off but stronger, and the energy is pitiful – under 100. Sunday the 6th isn’t much better, although the afternoon has a weirdly long 17-second period on a tiny 1 ft SSE swell and offshore wind, so you get a rare clean bump. It’s surfable but very ordinary.

Monday the 7th is a mess. A rain shower, strong cross-onshore wind from the SSW at 30 km/h, short period wind swell. Just no.

Now we get a little spark. Tuesday morning, September 8th. The swell bumps back up to 5 ft from the SSE, 11-second period, and the wind is offshore from the N at 15 km/h. The wave energy jumps to 491 (moderate), and it’s clean with an offshore breeze. This is a genuine window for a beginner session. The afternoon holds at 4 ft but the wind shifts cross-off, so it’s still rideable.

Wednesday the 9th and Thursday the 10th are basically flat and not worth paddling out. Friday the 11th sees a jump in size – 5 ft in the morning, but with a strong WSW cross-onshore wind at 25 km/h, making it choppy. The afternoon gets bigger, 5 ft, but comes straight onshore from the SSE, which is not ideal for shape. Too rough.

Saturday the 12th is our next real standout. Morning session: 5 ft SSE swell, 11-second period, offshore wind from the NNW at just 10 km/h. The wave energy is 541 (moderate), the conditions are clean, and the wind is light. This is about as clean as Sponge Bay gets for a solid head-high wave. The afternoon is still 5 ft but the wind goes cross-shore, so the morning is the pick.

And then we hit the big one. Sunday, September 13th. Morning shows a 10 ft swell from the S, with a 13-second period. The wave energy is 3538 (very strong). The wind is light offshore from the NNW. This is huge for Sponge Bay. The wind is perfect, the swell is there, but the note on this one says it’s predicted to be too big for this break. At over 8 ft, this is strictly expert territory only, way too big for beginners. The afternoon drops to 6 ft, but that’s still a heavy wave for a spot that’s usually mellow.

After that, it fades fast. Monday the 14th drops to 3 ft, and the following days are back to small, weak, and often choppy. Tuesday the 15th has a 5 ft pulse but with moderate wind, and it’s not clean enough to recommend. The rest of the run into mid-September is small, period drops off, and the wind is onshore or cross-off from the WSW, making it lumpy. Not worth the drive.

So, the honest take: The best on offer is Saturday morning, September 12th. That 5 ft SSE groundswell with a light offshore breeze will give you clean, fun waves that are right in the beginner sweet spot. If you’re an expert and want a challenge, Sunday morning September 13th has the size and the wind, but it’s a bit of a beast for the bay. The rest of the 16-day run is mostly flat or messy, with a gap of poor days between the 13th and the 18th. Don’t expect much after that big pulse.

Stay stoked,
Rusty

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