Sponge bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, gather ‘round, crew. Let’s talk about Sponge Bay. This is a bit of a tricky one, and to be honest, it’s a waiting game. The next two weeks are not setting up for a classic run, but there are a couple of windows that might just get your heart racing.

The first real sniff of decent surf kicks off on Saturday, 25th July. It’s nothing to shout about with a small 3ft easterly swell, but the morning has a cross-off breeze from the NW, keeping things clean. The water’s sitting at 55°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll be wanting the thick rubber. The combined energy is moderate (187), but it’s small and short period. Honestly, it’s a slow start.

We then hit a real rough patch from Sunday, 26th July through to the end of the month. The wind turns nasty, swinging cross-on and onshore, and the swell gets messy and jumbled. Even when the height picks up—like the 8ft to 10ft on Monday, 27th July—the wind is howling out of the SW and SSW, making it a complete write-off. That’s a lot of energy (1949 to 2803 on the combined scale) but it’s all blown out. Not worth paddling out for.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Friday, 31st July. The morning is a beauty: light offshore breezes from the north, clean lines, with a small 4ft ESE swell. The combined energy is a moderate 397, and the period is a nice 11 seconds. It’s small, but it’s clean. You’ll have the place to yourself, too, as it’s a fairly consistent spot but crowds are only sometimes an issue.

Now, the standout. Mark your calendars for Monday, 3rd August. This is the one. The morning session is going to be *excellent* for experienced surfers. We’re looking at a solid 8ft swell from the east, with a period of 10 seconds and a combined energy of 1622. The wind is a whisper-light WNW, making it clean as a whistle. This is big, powerful stuff—over 8ft, so it’s not for the groms—but for the crew who know what they’re doing, it’ll be a session to remember. That’s the best on offer in this whole outlook.

After that, things get messy again. From Tuesday, 4th August, through to the end of the forecast on Sunday, 9th August, it’s a battle. The wind is almost constantly onshore or cross-on, and the swell is short and choppy. There’s a lot of energy in the water, but it’s all wind-slop. It’s honestly looking more interesting for kite-surfing than a proper paddle session, given the strong winds and lumpy conditions.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a bust, with a small, clean window on the 31st of July. The real prize is the morning of Monday, 3rd August. After that, it’s a long, frustrating gap of poor conditions. But hey, it’s Sponge Bay—it tends not to stay poor for long, and the forecasts can change. Keep an eye on the charts.

Rusty.

Read more