Sponge bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer at Sponge Bay over the next couple of weeks.

First up, the water is sitting at 55°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year. You’ll want a decent wetsuit for sure.

The week starts off with a bit of a tease. Tuesday the 21st has some swell – around 5ft from the SSE – but the wind is cross-onshore, so it’s not going to be clean. You’ll find bumpy, choppy lines. The combined energy is moderate (1405), but the quality just isn’t there for a good paddle. By Wednesday the 22nd, the swell drops right off. We’re looking at knee-high stuff at best for the rest of the week. Thursday and Friday are tiny, with combined energy dropping into the double digits. It’s flat, and there’s really nothing to get excited about. Saturday the 25th is a write-off with strong cross-onshore winds and light rain. Not worth the drive.

Now, Sunday the 26th is where things start to get interesting. We’ve got a solid pulse of 6ft swell from the south coming in, and the wind is light and cross-offshore. The combined energy is moderate (987) and the period is short at 8 seconds, so it’s going to be a bit lumpy and close together, but it’s clean. This is your best window early on – a decent session for the intermediate crew.

Monday the 27th is a no-go. Strong onshore winds near gale force, blowing 31 mph, making a mess of the 5ft to 7ft swell. The combined energy is huge (1743), but the conditions are terrible. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The following week, starting Tuesday the 28th, we’ve got more size again – 7ft from the ESE – but the wind is cross-onshore and moderate to fresh. The sea state is lumpy and choppy, and it’s just not clean. The highlight finally comes on Wednesday the 29th and Thursday the 30th. Wednesday morning brings 6ft from the ESE with light cross-offshore winds. The combined energy is strong (1070), and the period is 13 seconds, giving it some proper push. The afternoon is just as good, with 5ft from the ESE and clean conditions. This is the standout window for the whole outlook. Thursday the 30th is also good, with solid 5ft swell and clean conditions, but the wind picks up a touch in the afternoon.

After that, the swell fades back to small, marginal surf from Friday the 31st through to the weekend. The first week of August starts with a bang but it’s too big for Sponge Bay. Monday the 3rd of August sees a massive 15ft to 16ft swell from the south, with combined energy through the roof (7068 to 9112). The wind is good, but the swell is way too big, only for absolute experts with a death wish. Tuesday the 4th of August drops a little to 8ft to 10ft, and Tuesday afternoon is actually excellent for experienced surfers – clean, with light winds and a solid 8ft from the SE. The combined energy is very strong (2511). That’s a real standout for the hardcore crew. Wednesday the 5th of August is a write-off again with heavy rain and strong winds.

So, the best on offer: Sunday the 26th of July for a clean, fun session, and then the standout is Wednesday the 29th of July for the best combination of size, period, and clean conditions. For the experienced lot, Tuesday the 4th of August afternoon is a cracker, but it’s a long way out so keep an eye on the charts.

Rusty.

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