Sponge bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 38.70° S 178.06° E

Sponge bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 pm 07 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Sponge bay sea temperature is
13.1°C
0.9° 

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 7 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 13 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 15s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 8 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s period, S swell with 1,809 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 9 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 8s period with SE 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 09) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 15s. 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 9s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 8s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 09) at 6PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 6AM (Wed 9th Sep)4.5ft (1.4m) 8s
Best Surf 3AM (Sun 13th Sep)6ft (1.9m) 15s
Most Powerful 6AM (Tue 8th Sep)11ft (3.5m) 9s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for Sponge Bay. Let’s be straight with each other – the next week and a half is a bit of a mixed bag, but there’s a serious payoff waiting for the crew who are patient.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start. The first few days are mostly a write-off, with weak, messy energy and wonky winds. Monday the 7th sees a tiny 0.7ft S swell with a super long 16-second period, but the wind is howling cross-off and the energy is a paltry (32), so it’s a no-go. Tuesday the 8th gets a big pulse of 12ft S swell, but that’s a full-on gale of 22 mph cross-on wind wrapping it into a choppy mess. You’d be a fool to paddle out.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Wednesday morning the 9th. The swell drops to a clean 4ft from the SE, but the wind goes glassy. Dead calm. That’s the kind of session that makes you forget the last few days of junk. The energy is moderate (252) and the period is short at 8 seconds, so it’ll be a bit walled up, but it’s clean and rideable. That’s the best we’ve got for a while.

The next few days are a frustrating mix of small, weak swell and offshores that are too strong or the wrong direction. Thursday the 10th is tiny, Friday the 11th is a mess, and Saturday the 12th is tiny again. The waiting game is real.

Then, Sunday morning the 13th is a turning point. We get a solid 5ft SSE groundswell with a 16-second period – that’s proper energy (1112) – and a light offshore wind from the WNW. This is going to be a very good session. The water is sitting at about 56°F, which is a touch cooler than average for this time of year, so don’t forget a hood if you’re a cold-water surfer.

Monday the 14th is similar, with a 5ft SSE swell, 15-second period, and glassy conditions in the morning. Both Sunday and Monday mornings are the clear standouts of the first week for Sponge Bay. The swell is a bit under 5ft, so it’s perfect for intermediates and will be a lot of fun. The long period means the sets will be spaced out, making it easier to get out the back.

Now, the real gem is hiding in the second week. You need to mark your calendars for Monday the 21st of September. The charts are lighting up with a very solid 8ft ESE swell, a 12-second period, and a clean offshore wind. The combined energy is a massive (1690) and it’s forecast to be excellent for experienced surfers. The swell is over 8ft, so this is expert territory. The swell direction from the ESE is a good match for the break’s optimum. If you’ve got the skills, that Monday morning is the one to circle. Tuesday the 22nd looks even bigger, with a 10ft ESE swell, but the forecast is already calling it too big for this break, so I’d stick with the Monday.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a grind with a couple of clean, fun windows on the 9th and the 13th-14th. The real firecracker is waiting for the experienced crew on Monday the 21st of September. Get on it.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Mon night. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu morning, min 7°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SW on Mon night, light winds from the WNW by Wed morning).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun morning, min 6°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Fri afternoon, calm by Sun morning).

Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
Friday
11
Saturday
12
Sunday
13
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
0
3
3
3
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.5
S
9
3
S
9
2.5
SSE
8
1.6
SE
8
1.3
SE
8
1.2
SE
8
1
SE
8
0.8
SE
7
0.7
SE
7
0.3
SSE
16
0.3
SSE
19
0.4
SSE
19
0.4
SSE
18
0.3
SSE
17
1.2
S
6
1.7
SSE
13
1.8
SSE
16
1.6
SSE
16
1.2
SSE
16
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1088
1629
976
319
211
192
122
65
56
48
74
117
103
57
104
1058
1654
1393
645
Wind (km/h)
50
SW
30
SSW
30
SW
15
WSW
10
WNW
15
ENE
15
NW
20
NW
15
WNW
15
NW
15
WSW
30
SSW
10
WNW
10
NW
15
SE
10
NW
15
NW
10
E
10
W
Wind State
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross
High Tide
2:13AM1.74m
2:51PM1.83m
3:33AM1.75m
4:11PM1.86m
4:48AM1.81m
5:18PM1.94m
5:44AM1.88m
6:09PM2.01m
6:33AM1.95m
6:53PM2.05m
7:17AM1.99m
7:34PM2.05m
Low Tide
8:34AM0.56m
9:17PM0.66m
9:47AM0.55m
10:31PM0.62m
10:55AM0.51m
11:34PM0.55m
11:50AM0.46m
00:26AM0.48m
12:37PM0.42m
1:10AM0.44m
1:23PM0.42m
1:52AM0.42m
mod rain
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
cloud
cloud
part cloud
light rain
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
cloud
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:20
6:18
6:16
6:15
6:13
6:11
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:51
5:52
5:52
5:53
5:54
5:54
 mm
10
2
2
2
Temp °C
12
10
11
9
11
12
9
16
16
12
12
11
10
12
12
11
16
15
13
Feels °C
6
3
5
5
8
8
6
12
12
8
8
5
7
8
8
9
14
13
10
  • 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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