
Surf Forecasts:
Sponge bay surf forecast from 12 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 13 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 15s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 13 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 15s period, SSE swell with 1,875 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 12 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 15s 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 (Sep 12) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 1.2m and 8s. 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 2.1m 15s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 13) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 15) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Sat 12th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Sun 13th Sep) | 7ft (2.1m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Sun 13th Sep) | 7ft (2.1m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Sponge bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks at Sponge Bay. It's a beach and reef setup, fairly exposed to the south-southeast, and the optimum direction is SSE, so there’s some hope there. Right now, the water temp is sitting at 55°, which is a notch colder than what we’d normally expect for this time of year – about 2° off. That’s not a shocker, but you’ll feel it without a decent suit.
Truth be told, the next few days are a real struggle. The first solid recommendation doesn’t show up until Monday the 14th. That’s a gap of nearly two days of nothing worth paddling out for at the start. So, you’ll have to be patient.
Monday the 14th, morning and afternoon both looking tidy. We’ve got a clean, cross-off wind with a light breeze, and the swell sits at 5ft to 4ft from the SSE, with a period around 12 to 13 seconds. That’s decent groundswell energy, enough to shape up nice lines on the reef. Wave energy is moderate (571 to 561). This is the standout window for the whole outlook – clean, rideable, and for a beginner-friendly spot, it’s about as good as it’ll get in this run.
Tuesday the 15th, morning has some clean 3ft SSE swell with offshore winds, 11-second period, but it’s fairly weak energy (191) and the report calls it only ordinary. Still surfable if you’re keen, just not the same quality.
From Wednesday the 16th onward, things get small and messy. We drop to waist-high dribble or less, with onshore or cross-on winds and very low energy readings (down in the 30s and 40s). There’s a little spike on Saturday the 19th with 3ft SSE swell and longer period (16 seconds), giving moderate energy (633), but the wind is light cross-shore and the conditions are only marginal – you might get a couple, but it’s nothing to write home about.
Later on, Wednesday the 23rd through Thursday the 24th sees a jump in size – up to 8ft from the SSE and S – but it’s accompanied by strong onshore winds and poor conditions. At that size, it’s getting too much for beginners, and with the wind chopping it up, it’s really only for the experienced guys, and even then, it looks more like a kite session than a paddle session.
After that, the last few days of the outlook (25th to 27th September) drop back to tiny, clean little waves – 1.0ft to 2ft SSE with light offshores or even glassy conditions. The energy is weak (under 150). If you’ve got a log and zero expectations, it’s a fun way to spend a morning, but not a standout.
Overall, Monday the 14th is the real winner here. That’s your best bet for clean, fun waves at Sponge Bay this period.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Sat morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Sun morning, min 8°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue afternoon, min 8°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | |||||||||||||||
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 17 | SSE 16 | SSE 15 | SSE 15 | S 14 | SSE 11 | SSE 12 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SE 9 | SSE 9 | S 16 | SSE 15 | SE 11 | SE 14 | ESE 13 | S 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
95 | 359 | 1875 | 1167 | 1423 | 581 | 569 | 560 | 347 | 186 | 141 | 64 | 56 | 41 | 15 | 20 | 21 | 29 | 48 | 67 | 137 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | off | cross | on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 6:53PM2.05m | 7:17AM1.99m | 7:34PM2.05m | 8:00AM2.01m | 8:14PM2.02m | 8:43AM2.00m | 8:56PM1.97m | 9:25AM1.96m | 9:40PM1.91m | 10:09AM1.91m | 10:25PM1.84m | 10:53AM1.85m | 11:10PM1.78m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:37PM0.42m | 1:10AM0.44m | 1:23PM0.42m | 1:52AM0.42m | 2:08PM0.44m | 2:32AM0.43m | 2:52PM0.48m | 3:13AM0.47m | 3:37PM0.54m | 3:56AM0.53m | 4:21PM0.61m | 4:43AM0.61m | 5:07PM0.67m | ||||||||
6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | |
— | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | 9 |
Temp °C | 12 | 12 | 10 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
Feels °C | 6 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 17 | SSE 6 | SSE 15 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | SSE 11 | SSE 12 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SE 9 | SSE 9 | ESE 10 | SE 10 | SE 11 | SSE 7 | SSE 6 | ESE 12 |
95 | 85 | 1875 | 1167 | 789 | 581 | 569 | 560 | 347 | 186 | 141 | 64 | 56 | 41 | 15 | 10 | 14 | 29 | 47 | 30 | 96 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 6 | SSE 16 | E 8 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | E 9 | NE 12 | E 10 | E 9 | S 16 | NE 5 | ENE 4 | E 4 | ESE 10 | SSE 8 | SSE 15 | S 12 | SE 14 | ESE 13 | S 16 |
7 | 359 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 7 | 21 | 12 | 48 | 67 | 137 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 7 | E 8 | E 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | E 9 | NE 12 | E 8 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | S 15 | E 12 | S 14 | S 13 | S 16 | SE 14 | E 11 | S 18 | S 17 | SSE 6 |
4 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 24 | 11 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 5 | S 6 | — | — | S 14 | — | — | — | — | NNE 3 | ENE 3 | — | — | — | — | — | NW 2 | SSW 4 | — | — | NNE 4 |
11 | 153 | — | — | 1423 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | 6 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 53 | 36 | 0 | 1 | 121 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 36 | 36 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 44 | 44 |
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.










