Surf Forecasts:
Sponge bay surf forecast from 2 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 7 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, SSW swell with cross-onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 16s period, SSE swell with 1,589 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 2 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 16s 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 Wednesday (Sep 02) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 16s period. 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 1.7m 16s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 12PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Sponge bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Righto, let's have a look at what Sponge Bay has got cooking for us over the next couple of weeks.
Alright, mate, let’s be straight with you. Sponge Bay is a beach and reef setup, and it’s pretty exposed to the swell, but over the next 16 days, it’s a real mixed bag. We’re starting off with a bit of a pulse of energy, but honestly, it’s not the cleanest or most consistent run. The water temp is sitting at 55°, which is about 2° colder than what’s normal for this time of year. Nothing to write home about, just a touch cool.
The first real action kicks off on Wednesday, the 2nd of September. Wednesday morning sees a clean 6 ft SSE swell pushing in from a 14-second period, with a cross-offshore wind from the NW. The combined energy is solid, at 1463, so there’s some push behind it. The wind is a moderate breeze, but it’s cross-off, so the face should be alright. It’s noted as marginal, though. The standout is Wednesday afternoon: the swell bumps up just a touch to 6 ft from the SSE, the period stretches out to a lovely 17 seconds, and the wind swings to a light offshore from the NNE. The energy jumps to 1961, and the comments say it’s excellent for experienced surfers. That’s your pick of the first week. If you’re a competent surfer, be there for the afternoon session.
Thursday the 3rd starts to drop off. Morning is 4 ft SSE at 13 seconds, but the cross-off wind is a bit stronger at 12 mph, and the energy is down to 506. It’s marginal. The afternoon is smaller at 3 ft, same direction, with a gentle breeze. It’s surfable, but nothing special.
From Friday the 4th all the way through to Sunday the 6th, it’s tiny. Swell heights are below 2 ft, and the energy values are in the double digits – 74, 50, 30, 35. This is a flat spell, plain and simple. Not worth paddling out for.
Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th try to pick up a little. Monday morning is a tiny 0.7 ft, but by Tuesday morning we get a 4 ft SSE swell at 10 seconds, with a light cross-off breeze and energy of 291. It’s got a “good surf conditions” tag, but it’s nothing to rave about. The rest of that week stays small and mediocre, with heights around 2 ft to 4 ft and energy dropping back into the low hundreds. The wind is mostly cross-off or light, but the swell just isn’t there.
Then we hit a big gap. From around the 10th of September, the size drops off again, and the energy is pitiful. Thursday the 10th afternoon is actually glassy, with a WNW breeze at 3 mph, but the swell is only 1 ft. It’s a complete flat spell for several days.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting, but it’s a warning. On Friday the 11th, a big, messy pulse shows up. Morning has a 10 ft SSW swell, but the wind is a moderate cross-onshore from the SE at 16 mph, and the energy is 2106. It’s described as poor, and it’s a cross-onshore, so it’s going to be choppy and lumpy. The afternoon is a bit better at 6 ft, but still windy and cross-on.
The real bombs hit on the 15th and 16th of September. Tuesday the 15th morning sees a massive 15 ft SSW swell with a 12-second period, and the energy is a whopping 7130. The wind is a gentle cross-off from the NW, so it’s clean. But the comments are clear: the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. 15 ft is well over the 8 ft mark, so this is strictly for experts only, and even then, it might be a washing machine. The afternoon is the same size, 15 ft from the S, with a gentle offshore wind. Still too big.
Wednesday the 16th is even bigger. Morning is 16 ft from the S, 12-second period, energy 10642, and the wind is light cross-off. Again, too big. The afternoon is 16 ft from the S, with a 13-second period, energy 12030, but the wind is onshore from the S. That’s a no-go.
Thursday the 17th morning drops to 12 ft from the S, 13-second period, energy 6107, with a light cross-off wind. Still too big for this break.
So, the reality is this: Sponge Bay has a couple of decent windows in the first week, specifically Wednesday the 2nd afternoon, which is the standout. After that, it’s a long stretch of flat, small, or poor conditions. The big swells in the second week are way too powerful for this spot. For kite surfing, the big, windy, cross-onshore days might be interesting, but for paddle surfing, it’s a miss.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu afternoon, min 9°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun afternoon, min 8°C on Mon night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | |||||||||||||||
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 14 | SSE 17 | SSE 15 | SSE 13 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 8 | S 8 | SSE 9 | S 11 | SSE 17 | SSE 17 | S 16 | S 6 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1023 | 1961 | 1091 | 499 | 312 | 158 | 68 | 42 | 9 | 24 | 29 | 15 | 63 | 59 | 97 | 21 | 88 | 482 | 286 | 200 | 139 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 9:29AM2.00m | 9:48PM1.98m | 10:14AM1.99m | 10:35PM1.94m | 11:03AM1.96m | 11:23PM1.89m | 11:55AM1.92m | 00:14AM1.84m | 12:49PM1.88m | 1:09AM1.78m | 1:45PM1.84m | 2:13AM1.74m | 2:51PM1.83m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:36PM0.48m | 4:05AM0.44m | 4:22PM0.50m | 4:53AM0.45m | 5:11PM0.54m | 5:44AM0.47m | 6:05PM0.58m | 6:37AM0.51m | 7:03PM0.63m | 7:32AM0.54m | 8:06PM0.66m | 8:34AM0.56m | 9:17PM0.66m | ||||||||
6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | |
— | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:51 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 18 | 14 | 18 | 19 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 16 | 15 | 12 |
Feels °C | 13 | 16 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 12 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 14 | SSE 17 | SSE 15 | SSE 13 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 8 | S 8 | SSE 9 | S 11 | SSE 9 | NE 8 | SSE 11 | S 16 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 |
1023 | 1961 | 1091 | 499 | 312 | 158 | 68 | 42 | 9 | 24 | 29 | 15 | 63 | 16 | 28 | 12 | 20 | 482 | 286 | 200 | 139 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 18 | ENE 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | S 16 | S 15 | S 15 | ENE 4 | — | SSE 17 | SSE 17 | ENE 5 | NE 9 | NNE 9 | E 16 | NE 6 | NE 4 |
438 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1 | — | 59 | 97 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 1 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | — | SE 11 | SE 12 | SE 10 | — | SE 11 | S 18 | NE 4 | E 10 | E 10 | S 6 | E 10 | S 12 | S 17 | S 16 | NE 9 | E 10 | — | E 16 | E 15 |
2 | — | 5 | 5 | 4 | — | 4 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 23 | 21 | 3 | 2 | — | 5 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NE 9 | — | — | — | NW 2 | — | NNW 2 | — | — | — | NNE 5 | — | — | — | — | S 6 | — | NNE 3 | — | WSW 3 |
— | 14 | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 27 | — | — | — | — | 88 | — | 3 | — | 2 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 113 | 36 | 46 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 19 | 68 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 |
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.











