Surf Forecasts:
Sponge bay surf forecast from 22 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 30 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 12s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 28 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 14s period, SE swell with 1,991 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 23 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 12s 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 Thursday (Jul 23) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 11s. 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 2.3m 14s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Tue 28th Jul) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Sponge bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, I’m lookin’ at what we’ve got ahead at Sponge Bay. To be brutally honest, the start of this run is pretty flat and messy. The first few days are small and the winds are just not playing ball, so don’t bother paddlin’ out until the end of July. We’re talkin’ a solid gap from today all the way through the 28th of July where the surf is either tiny, blown out, or both. Hold tight.
First real glimmer of hope comes on Wednesday the 29th of July. Early morning, we’ve got a clean 5 ft swell rollin’ in from the ESE, with a decent 13-second period. The wind is light and cross-offshore, so the face should be smooth. The combined energy is a solid moderate (1003). This is the best on offer for the whole outlook – a proper session for those who’ve been waitin’. This is a beach and reef setup, and with a longer period swell like that, the reef section might line up nicer. Crowds are a possibility on a morning like this, so get down early.
Thursday the 30th still looks tidy. Morning sees a clean 4 ft from the ESE with gentle offshore winds. It’s a little weaker in energy (453), but it’ll be clean and fun. The afternoon holds glassy 4 ft surf with light offshore breezes.
Surf drops off into Friday the 31st, just knee-to-waist high clean waves. Not really worth a special trip. Then Saturday the 1st of August brings a pulse back – the morning has 6 ft from the E with an 11-second period and clean offshore wind. That’s another solid session with moderate energy (827). After that, the wind turns nasty Sunday and Monday, with big, messy swell and onshore gales – not for us, that’s windsurfing or kite-surfing conditions.
We get another clean-up on Wednesday the 5th of August, with a 5 ft SE swell and light winds. Not the biggest, but clean enough to have fun. The final few days look small and inconsistent.
So, to wrap it up: the standout is definitely Wednesday morning the 29th of July at Sponge Bay – clean, head-high plus, with that long-period ESE groundswell. Saturday the 1st of August is the other one to circle. Everything else is either too small, too windy, or just average.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Fri morning, min 7°C on Thu morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the N on Thu morning, fresh winds from the SW by Sat afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Very mild (max 11°C on Tue afternoon, min 5°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | |||||||||||||||
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 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | E 8 | E 11 | E 12 | E 11 | SSW 9 | SSW 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 | SE 14 | SE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 86 | 56 | 23 | 19 | 21 | 85 | 172 | 121 | 1151 | 1245 | 758 | 895 | 1655 | 1437 | 1991 | 1661 | 1531 | 1349 | 1077 | 853 | 655 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross |
High Tide | 12:59PM1.88m | 1:10AM1.87m | 1:42PM1.82m | 1:52AM1.78m | 2:25PM1.76m | 2:39AM1.70m | 3:12PM1.71m | 3:34AM1.65m | 4:09PM1.68m | 4:36AM1.63m | 5:20PM1.69m | 5:36AM1.66m | 6:18PM1.74m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:05PM0.70m | 7:32AM0.62m | 7:52PM0.75m | 8:14AM0.67m | 8:41PM0.79m | 9:00AM0.72m | 9:33PM0.82m | 9:52AM0.75m | 10:32PM0.84m | 10:51AM0.76m | 11:34PM0.83m | 11:47AM0.74m | 00:30AM0.80m | ||||||||
 | |  | |  | | | | |  |  |  | | |  | | | |  | | | |
 | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — |
 | — | 5:09 | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:12 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | 5:15 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 11 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 10 |
Feels °C | 7 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | E 8 | E 11 | E 12 | E 11 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SE 14 | SE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 |
| kJ | 86 | 56 | 5 | 7 | 21 | 85 | 172 | 121 | 528 | 383 | 343 | 388 | 480 | 490 | 1991 | 1661 | 1531 | 1349 | 1077 | 853 | 655 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | ENE 4 | SE 18 | SE 17 | ESE 16 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | SSW 11 | SSE 9 | S 8 | S 10 | SSE 16 |
| kJ | 23 | 23 | 23 | 19 | 9 | 2 | 13 | 77 | 166 | 236 | 261 | 303 | 468 | 683 | 1388 | 1474 | 25 | 268 | 46 | 2 | 51 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 4 | ENE 6 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 11 | SSE 9 | SE 13 | S 8 | E 11 | E 10 | S 15 | S 15 | — | — | — | S 13 | — | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 |
| kJ | 1 | 4 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 27 | 1 | 59 | 17 | 17 | 4 | — | — | — | 29 | — | 22 | 20 | 10 | 9 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NE 6 | — | — | — | NNE 3 | NW 2 | WSW 3 | SSW 9 | SSW 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | SSE 9 | — | — | — | NNE 3 |
| kJ | — | 18 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1151 | 1245 | 758 | 895 | 1655 | 1437 | 1630 | 854 | 442 | — | — | — | 2 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 9 | 36 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 42 | 42 | 10 | 68 | 42 | 68 | 68 | 68 | 68 | 68 | 53 | 10 | 10 | 3 |
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.
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