Sponge bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's on the cards for Sponge Bay.

The next couple of weeks start a bit flat, but don't write it off. We’ve got a solid pulse of swell rolling in from the middle of the week, building into some cleaner conditions. The water temp is sitting at 57°F which is pretty much where it should be for this time of year, so the chilly water is nothing unusual.

The real standout window is Thursday afternoon, July 16th, through to Saturday, July 18th. The swell direction swings around to the ESE, which is exactly what this spot likes. The energy builds from a moderate 182 on Thursday morning up to a very strong 1222 by Friday afternoon. We are looking at clean, lined-up waves around 5ft to 5ft from the ESE, with a very long period groundswell (16-18 seconds). That long period means the sets will have some real punch and shape, though it might get a little straight at the beach, so keep your eyes peeled for the better peaks. The wind is light and cross-off, so the face will be clean. This is the best run of the forecast.

Friday morning, July 17th, is the pick of the bunch for me. The swell is solid at 5ft from the ESE, period is a dreamy 16 seconds, and the combined energy is a whopping 1065. The wind is a light cross-off, promising clean, powerful waves. This is the one to mark on the calendar.

By Saturday afternoon, July 18th, the wind actually goes offshore from the N, with waves still holding at 4ft from the ESE. It’s a little smaller, but it’ll be glassy and clean. This is a very solid second option.

The surf tapers off noticeably after the 18th. Sunday and Monday, July 19th-20th, get messy with onshore winds and a drop in quality. The swell is still there, around 4ft to 5ft, but the wind is on it, making it choppy and difficult. It’s a bit of a write-off for paddle surfing, but the combined energy is still high, so if you’ve got a kite, the conditions might be more interesting for you.

From Tuesday, July 21st, onwards, the swell drops away. The rest of the second week (July 21st to 29th) is a real struggle. We’re looking at small, weak waves, mostly under 3ft, with very ordinary conditions. The combined energy is mostly in the low hundreds or even double digits, meaning it’s weak. There are some clean windows with light offshore winds on the 22nd, 23rd, and 25th, but the swell is too small to get excited about.

Then, on July 30th, the swell jumps up to 8ft from the S, but with a short period of 10 seconds and a strong 16 mph cross-onshore wind. That’s a big, messy, blown-out mess. The combined energy is over 1900, but the quality is poor. That’s one for the experts only, and even then, it won't be pretty.

So, to wrap it up: the best bet is Friday, July 17th, for the best combination of size, power, and clean conditions. Saturday, July 18th, is a close second. The rest of the outlook is a waiting game.

Rusty.

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