
Surf Forecasts:
Sponge bay surf forecast from 7 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 12 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 9s period, ESE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 10 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 10s period, SSE swell with 3,845 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 12 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 9s 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 Sunday (Jul 12) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 15s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Sponge bay in the next 16 days are 4.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 10) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Sun 12th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Sun 12th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Fri 10th Jul) | 15ft (4.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Sponge bay over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s coming for Sponge Bay over the next couple weeks, and I’ll keep it straight—it’s a mixed bag.
First thing, the water’s running a touch cold for this time of year, sitting at about 56°F, around 2°F below what’s normal. You’ll feel it when you first drop in.
Looking at the whole run, we’ve got a big, frustrating gap at the start. From Tuesday, July 7th, all the way through to midday Sunday, July 12th, it’s pretty much a no-go. There’s plenty of energy in the water—moderate at first, with a combined swell energy of 427, ramping up to a very strong 5444 by Friday afternoon—but the wind is brutal. Straight onshore, screaming from the south at 22 to 28 mph, with heavy rain and a 5ft to 13ft swell that’s all wind-chop. For a beach-and-reef setup like this, that’s kite surfing territory, not paddle surfing.
The first real chance to get wet comes Sunday afternoon, July 12th. It’s small, but the conditions will be gorgeous. A light 4ft swell from the ESE with a combined energy of 381, and the wind goes glassy—dead flat, not a ripple. Perfect for a longboard or a quiet session with no hassle.
Monday the 13th and Tuesday the 14th stay small, with 3ft to 3ft from the ESE, but finally we get clean offshore breezes from the north and northwest. The waves are nothing special, but the lineup will be friendly. Good for beginners or just getting some water time.
Now, here’s the real standout. Wednesday, July 15th afternoon. Swell bumps up to 6ft from the ESE, and the period stretches all the way out to 16 seconds—that’s a true groundswell. Combined swell energy hits 1613, which is strong. The wind is light offshore from the NNW. This will produce clean, long-running walls at Sponge Bay. Because of the long period, sets will have gaps, making the paddle out easier. This is excellent for experienced surfers. Mark that session.
Thursday the 16th still has a clean 5ft from the ESE with a 14-second period, but the wind picks up to 19 mph from the NNW, making it a bit more challenging. Still doable for the keen.
Then we drop off again. From Friday the 17th through to Saturday the 19th of July, the swell falls under 3ft and the winds get messy—cross-onshore or just weak. Not worth the drive.
Looking further out, Sunday the 19th of July morning has a tiny 3ft from the ESE with a clean, cross-offshore breeze. It is small, but the conditions will be tidy.
The next notable date is Monday, July 20th morning. There’s a 10ft swell predicted from the SSW, but it’s flagged as too big for this break—combined energy of 1859, a short 10-second period, and likely closing out the whole beach. That’s for experts only, and even then it might be a wall of whitewater. Best to ignore that and look at the late afternoon of the 20th, where we get a clean 3ft ESE swell with light cross-offshore wind.
From the 21st to the 22nd of July, the surf stays tiny at 3ft to 4ft from the ESE, but the winds are consistently offshore from the north to northwest. Wednesday afternoon the 22nd has a moderate 16 mph offshore breeze and a swell energy of 595, giving you clean, small waves.
The best bet is clear: Wednesday, July 15th afternoon for the biggest, cleanest groundswell. For a glassy, relaxed paddle, Sunday, July 12th afternoon is your spot. The long-range window around the 20th could deliver for the experts, but it’s less certain.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 43mm), heaviest during Fri morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Wed afternoon, min 10°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WSW on Wed morning, near gales from the SSW by Thu night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 12°C on Fri afternoon, min 8°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Fri afternoon, calm by Sun afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tue 7 | Wednesday 8 | Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | SSE 10 | S 11 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
356 | 530 | 473 | 490 | 402 | 573 | 2023 | 1267 | 2495 | 3474 | 1234 | 866 | 1092 | 511 | 327 | 261 | 203 | 212 | 137 | 183 | 180 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off |
High Tide | 11:39PM1.94m | 11:56AM1.85m | 00:18AM1.93m | 12:42PM1.87m | 00:59AM1.91m | 1:30PM1.89m | 1:45AM1.89m | 2:19PM1.90m | 2:38AM1.86m | 3:12PM1.90m | 3:39AM1.84m | 4:14PM1.90m | 4:47AM1.84m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:18PM0.57m | 5:59AM0.54m | 6:00PM0.55m | 6:40AM0.49m | 6:45PM0.54m | 7:24AM0.45m | 7:35PM0.54m | 8:10AM0.42m | 8:29PM0.54m | 9:01AM0.42m | 9:28PM0.56m | 10:01AM0.43m | 10:33PM0.58m | 11:06AM0.44m | |||||||
— | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | |
4:59 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:01 | — | — | 5:01 | — | — | 5:02 | — | 5:04 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 7 | 22 | 12 | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 15 |
Feels °C | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 11 | ESE 10 | E 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 |
356 | 530 | 473 | 490 | 402 | 573 | 1311 | 378 | 696 | 1970 | 1234 | 866 | 739 | 511 | 327 | 261 | 203 | 212 | 137 | 183 | 180 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 14 | SSE 14 | SSE 8 | E 10 | ESE 10 | SSW 20 | — | — | SSE 15 | SSE 15 | SSE 19 | SSE 16 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | S 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 |
20 | 18 | 41 | 37 | 58 | 290 | 342 | 38 | — | — | 47 | 23 | 74 | 214 | 126 | 120 | 90 | 47 | 23 | 22 | 9 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 9 | SSW 8 | SSE 13 | S 17 | — | — | — | — | — | S 12 | SSE 14 | SSW 10 | — | — | — | — | E 12 | S 17 | S 13 |
51 | 48 | 16 | 22 | 32 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 20 | 21 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 6 | 14 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | SSW 7 | — | S 11 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SSE 10 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 | SE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 4 | N 2 |
— | — | — | — | 91 | — | 2023 | 1267 | 2495 | 3474 | 471 | 210 | 1092 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 1 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 19 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 53 | 118 | 122 | 118 | 118 | 68 | 115 | 53 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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.











