Sponge bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 38.70° S 178.06° E

Sponge bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 am 28 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Sponge bay sea temperature is
12.7° C
1.6° 

Sponge bay surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Sponge bay surf forecast from 27 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 29 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 13s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 2 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 12s period, S swell with 3,771 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 29 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 13s 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 Wednesday (Jul 29) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Sponge bay in the next 16 days are 3.5m 12s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 02) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-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 Friday (Jul 31) at 3AM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 6AM (Wed 29th Jul)5.5ft (1.7m) 13s
Best Surf 6AM (Wed 29th Jul)5.5ft (1.7m) 13s
Most Powerful 9AM (Sun 2nd Aug)11ft (3.5m) 12s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Sponge bay over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ at Sponge Bay over the next couple of weeks.

First up, we’ve got a bit of a slow start. There’s a bit of swell in the water on Tuesday the 28th of July, but it’s pretty average – a solid 7 ft SE swell pushing through with a 13-second period, so there’s some energy there (combined energy of 3135), but that cross-on wind from the SW is making it choppy and messy. Not one to get excited about. The water’s sitting at 55°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a good steamer.

Things look a lot better on Wednesday the 29th of July. The swell drops a touch to 6 ft, still out of the ESE with a nice 13-second period, and the wind swings to a light WNW cross-off. That’ll clean things right up nicely. This is the standout session of the first week – clean, fun waves at Sponge Bay, not too big, not too small. The combined energy (873) is moderate, but with those clean conditions, it’ll be a good morning. The crowd meter says “sometimes,” so you might have a few others out, but nothing too hectic.

Thursday the 30th is still rideable with clean conditions in the morning, dropping to 4 ft, but the energy is fading (514). It’s surfable, but it’s not gonna set the world on fire. After that, we go into a bit of a lull. Friday and Saturday are small and weak, with the swell dropping below 3 ft and the energy tanking. Sunday the 2nd of August sees a spike in size – 12 ft from the S with a massive 5860 combined energy – but the wind is howling onshore from the SSW, making it a total write-off for paddle surfing. That’s a kite day if I’ve ever seen one.

Monday the 3rd of August is another big, messy one with onshore winds, and the swell is still over 10 ft. Not for the faint-hearted, and definitely not for beginners. The period drops to 9 seconds, so it’s gonna be choppy and lumpy. The next few days are a mix of small, weak swell and poor wind, with a bit of a clean window on Wednesday the 5th of August morning – 2 ft of SSE swell with a very long 14-second period and light WNW cross-off winds. That’s a glassy, clean little wave, but it’s small. The combined energy is only 284, so it’s weak.

The real standout for the whole outlook is Friday the 7th of August afternoon. Now, I don’t usually get excited about a break that’s too big, but the forecast has a 16 ft S swell rolling in with a 14-second period, and the combined energy is a staggering 17523. The wind is a gentle cross-onshore from the SSE, which is okay, but the problem is that the swell is predicted to be too big for Sponge Bay. That’s expert territory only, and even then, it’s gonna be a wild, heavy beast. If you’re a seasoned charger, that’s your window. The break is a beach and reef setup, so with that much power, it’s not for the faint-hearted.

After that, the forecast gets messy with strong winds and rain, and the swell drops off again. The 16-day window has a few good moments, but the absolute best is Wednesday morning the 29th of July – clean, fun, and manageable. The big Friday the 7th of August is a serious, serious option if you’ve got the skills and the nerve.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu morning, min 8°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 19mm), heaviest on Sun night. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri afternoon, min 6°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds.

Tuesday
28
Wednesday
29
Thursday
30
Friday
31
Saturday
1
Sunday
2
Monday
3
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
0
2
3
2
1
1
1
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.1
SE
13
2
ESE
13
1.8
ESE
13
1.7
ESE
13
1.6
ESE
12
1.5
ESE
12
1.3
ESE
12
1.1
ESE
11
1
E
11
0.9
ESE
11
0.8
ESE
11
0.7
ESE
11
0.4
SE
15
0.3
SE
16
3
SSW
10
3.5
S
12
3
S
11
2.2
SE
9
3
SSE
9
1.1
SE
10
1.5
SE
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1391
1359
1134
853
749
603
429
314
251
209
164
128
64
39
1778
3771
2118
711
1499
237
343
Wind (km/h)
15
SW
20
SSW
10
SW
10
WNW
15
NE
20
NW
15
NNW
20
NNW
15
N
20
NW
20
NNW
20
NW
15
WNW
40
SSW
25
SW
25
SSW
35
SSW
20
SSW
25
S
20
S
10
SW
Wind State
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
on
on
cross-on
High Tide
5:20PM1.69m
5:36AM1.66m
6:18PM1.74m
6:27AM1.71m
7:03PM1.80m
7:13AM1.77m
7:44PM1.87m
7:57AM1.82m
8:24PM1.93m
8:38AM1.87m
9:03PM1.97m
9:19AM1.89m
9:43PM1.98m
Low Tide
10:51AM0.76m
11:34PM0.83m
11:47AM0.74m
00:30AM0.80m
12:36PM0.70m
1:18AM0.75m
1:20PM0.65m
2:00AM0.69m
2:02PM0.60m
2:41AM0.63m
2:43PM0.56m
3:20AM0.58m
3:24PM0.54m
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
rain showers
clear
part cloud
clear
rain showers
light rain
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:13
7:13
7:11
7:11
7:09
7:09
7:07
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:14
5:15
5:15
5:16
5:17
5:19
5:20
 mm
1
1
3
2
3
9
2
3
Temp °C
10
11
10
12
14
10
15
15
13
15
16
12
15
9
9
9
9
9
10
10
9
Feels °C
5
6
6
9
10
5
11
10
9
10
11
7
10
1
2
2
1
3
4
5
5
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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