Sponge bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 38.70° S 178.06° E

Sponge bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 am 14 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Sponge bay sea temperature is
13.8° C
0.7° 

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 13 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 18 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 15s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 17 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 16s period, ESE swell with 1,374 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 14 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 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 Tuesday (Jul 14) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.3m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Sponge bay in the next 16 days are 1.8m 14s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 17) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 14) at 3PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)12PM (Tue 14th Jul)1ft (0.3m) 12s
Best Surf12AM (Sat 18th Jul)5ft (1.6m) 15s
Most Powerful 6PM (Fri 17th Jul)5ft (1.6m) 16s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for Sponge Bay.

First things first, the water is sitting at 57°, which is just a fraction cooler than usual for this time of year. Nothing to write home about, just a tad fresh.

Honestly, the next few days are a bit of a write-off. We're looking at tiny dribble through Tuesday and Wednesday, with swell barely cracking 1 ft. The wind is light and offshore or glassy at times, which would be a dream, but there's just no push in the ocean. The combined energy is weak, in the 40-60 range. It's more of a paddle-around-on-a-foamie kind of vibe.

Thursday the 16th shows a glimmer of life with some 2 ft groundswell, period jumping to 15 seconds, and energy hitting 182. The wind is cross-offshore, so it'll be clean, but it's still very small for a standard shortboard. The same goes for Friday the 17th, where we see a jump to 5 ft, but the wind is a mess—cross in the morning and onshore in the afternoon. The energy is strong (1058), but the conditions are marginal.

Now, here's the standout. Saturday morning, the 18th of July. The wind is light and offshore from the NNW, and we've got a clean 4 ft of ESE groundswell, with a 14-second period. The energy is a solid 933, and the wave comment is "expect very good surf conditions." This is your window. The break is a beach and reef setup, and it's fairly consistent. For a beginner, 4 ft is manageable, and for the average surfer, it's going to be fun and clean. The swell direction is ESE, which is just a bit off the optimum SSE, but it's close enough to wrap in nicely. The crowds are listed as "sometimes," so you might get a few out, but on a Saturday, expect a few locals to be on it.

The rest of that weekend goes downhill. Sunday the 19th gets hammered by a 19-25 mph onshore wind, turning the 7 ft swell into a messy, blown-out washing machine. That's a no-go.

Monday the 20th through Thursday the 24th is a long stretch of onshore and cross-shore winds, mostly from the east, with swell dropping back to 2 ft to 4 ft. The energy is moderate to weak, and the conditions are described as "poor" to "marginal." It's a frustrating week for anyone watching the forecast.

There's a big pulse of energy coming around the 26th and 27th of July, with swell hitting 10 ft to 15 ft, and combined energy readings in the thousands (over 8000 on the 27th). That's serious, heavy water. However, the forecast notes it's "predicted to be too big for this break." For a beach and reef set-up, that much swell is going to be a washing machine, and with a short period of 9-12 seconds, it won't be holding its shape. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it might be more of a survival mission than a fun session. The wind is light to moderate, but the sheer size makes it dangerous.

The outlook improves as we head into the 29th of July. Wednesday morning looks promising with 6 ft of ESE groundswell, a 10-second period, and a light offshore wind from the NW. The energy is still strong at 791, and the conditions are "very good." That's likely your second best bet, but it's a long way out.

So, to wrap it up: Saturday morning, the 18th of July, is your best bet. Clean, offshore wind, fun-sized swell, and good energy. The rest of the period is a mix of too small, too windy, or too big. Keep your eyes on the 29th as a longer-range possibility, but don't bank on it.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Some drizzle, heaviest during Tue morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Wed afternoon, min 10°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Sun night. Very mild (max 12°C on Fri morning, min 8°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Sat morning, strong winds from the SSE by Sun afternoon).

Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
Thursday
16
Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
2
1
4
3
2
2
0
0
1
0
1
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
SSE
12
0.4
ESE
10
0.4
ESE
10
0.4
ESE
11
0.4
ESE
10
0.5
E
13
0.6
ESE
15
0.6
ESE
17
1.2
ESE
16
1.4
ESE
16
1.4
ESE
16
1.6
ESE
15
1.3
ESE
14
1.3
ESE
14
1.4
SE
14
2
S
7
2
S
9
1.4
SSE
16
0.8
SSE
18
0.9
SSE
15
0.9
SSE
15
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
29
31
34
40
33
86
172
237
761
966
966
1081
732
682
661
437
621
1029
432
413
326
Wind (km/h)
15
N
15
N
15
NNW
10
WNW
5
ENE
15
NW
15
NW
20
NW
10
WSW
10
W
20
S
10
NW
10
NNW
10
E
10
SW
30
SSW
40
SSE
20
SSE
15
SE
15
SE
10
E
Wind State
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
cross
on
cross-off
off
cross
cross-on
on
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
High Tide
5:25PM1.93m
5:56AM1.87m
6:35PM1.99m
7:00AM1.91m
7:34PM2.06m
7:58AM1.95m
8:28PM2.11m
8:53AM1.99m
9:21PM2.12m
9:45AM2.01m
10:13PM2.11m
10:36AM2.00m
11:02PM2.08m
Low Tide
11:06AM0.44m
11:47PM0.59m
12:10PM0.44m
00:58AM0.57m
1:10PM0.44m
1:58AM0.54m
2:07PM0.45m
2:51AM0.53m
3:01PM0.47m
3:41AM0.52m
3:54PM0.50m
4:31AM0.53m
4:45PM0.54m
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
rain showers
light rain
mod rain
light rain
cloud
cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:22
7:22
7:22
7:20
7:20
7:20
7:18
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:04
5:04
5:05
5:06
5:07
5:07
5:07
 mm
1
2
2
10
1
Temp °C
14
16
13
15
17
13
14
14
14
12
12
10
12
12
11
12
11
11
11
11
11
Feels °C
11
13
10
13
16
10
9
9
11
9
8
8
10
10
8
6
3
7
7
7
7
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • 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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