Is it worth the trip?
33Poor out of 100 for your dates
Best on Tue 3: 6 ft swell at 9 s, sheltered (estimated): holds up in a blow
Tue 3 · 44 out of 100
- Swell
- 6 ft9 s
- Energy
- 561kJ
- Wind
- SE 5 kn
- Temp
- 14°C
Wed 4 · 39 out of 100
- Swell
- 5 ft10 s
- Energy
- 484kJ
- Wind
- ENE 5 kn
- Temp
- 17°C
Thu 5 · 17 out of 100
- Swell
- 3 ft9 s
- Energy
- 143kJ
- Wind
- ESE 2 kn
- Temp
- 18°C
Fri 6 · 6 out of 100
- Swell
- 3 ft9 s
- Energy
- 137kJ
- Wind
- WSW 10 kn
- Temp
- 19°C
Sat 7 · 27 out of 100
- Swell
- 5 ft11 s
- Energy
- 632kJ
- Wind
- SSW 6 kn
- Temp
- 16°C
Sun 8 · 38 out of 100
- Swell
- 6 ft10 s
- Energy
- 716kJ
- Wind
- SE 2 kn
- Temp
- 16°C
Mon 9 · 31 out of 100
- Swell
- 5 ft10 s
- Energy
- 431kJ
- Wind
- ESE 4 kn
- Temp
- 14°C
Tap a day for waves, wind and the temperature. Full forecast
Forecast: next 10 days
Full forecast- Mon 28, too small
- Tue 344, poor
- Wed 439, too small
- Thu 517, too small
- Fri 66, too small
- Sat 727, too small
- Sun 838, poor
- Mon 931, too small
- Tue 1014, too small
- Wed 1139, too small
The spot in five facts
- Faces SEtakes swell from the SE
- Offshore: NWwind from the land
- Beginner +who it suits
- Works 5–20 ftof swell
- Water 13 °C4/3 wetsuit and boots
Full forecast
every day, every number
| Day | Score for experts | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 2Nov | 8, too small | 4 ft10 s | 327kJ | wind from the west, 12 knots | 14°C |
| Tue 3Nov | 44, poor | 6 ft9 s | 561kJ | wind from the south-east, 5 knots | 14°C |
| Wed 4Nov | 39, too small | 5 ft10 s | 484kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 5 knots | 17°C |
| Thu 5Nov | 17, too small | 3 ft9 s | 143kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 2 knots | 18°C |
| Fri 6Nov | 6, too small | 3 ft9 s | 137kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 10 knots | 19°C |
| Sat 7Nov | 27, too small | 5 ft11 s | 632kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 6 knots | 16°C |
| Sun 8Nov | 38, poor | 6 ft10 s | 716kJ | wind from the south-east, 2 knots | 16°C |
| Mon 9Nov | 31, too small | 5 ft10 s | 431kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 4 knots | 14°C |
| Tue 10Nov | 14, too small | 4 ft10 s | 275kJ | wind from the south-east, 9 knots | 13°C |
| Wed 11Nov | 39, too small | 5 ft11 s | 634kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 6 knots | 11°C |
Energy is the swell's power, in kJ per metre of wave. Wind is in knots, the arrow where it blows to; green is offshore. More
Forecast updated . It refreshes every three hours. Forecast data: ECMWF, DWD, Météo-France and NOAA, served by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0). Changed by us. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information.
Map
the spot and its town
Colac Bay on Google Maps · Directions
Each place wears its best day on these dates, a surf spot for experts: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.
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About
the place in full, sources, credits
About Colac Bay
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated.
The spot faces SE (154°), so it takes swell from the SE. The wind blows offshore from the NW (334°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 5–20 ft of swell. The sea is about 11°C in July, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 16°C in January, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). The town to stay in is Riverton, 9 km away (about 20 min by car).
Water about 13°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
The score is the conditions only: the journey, the price and the partners never change it (how we score, how we earn).
Rough cost (estimate): about US$1,740–US$3,300 each
about US$1,740–US$3,300 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: flights, taxi, stay, food, board and wetsuit.
Our estimate from typical public prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book (where they come from). Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 30 October 2026.
How we worked it out
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return MDW to IVC, estimated from distance and season, changing at DFW and AKL, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | about US$884–US$1,830 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | about US$74–US$121 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | about US$342–US$563 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | about US$301–US$563 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about US$114 to fly your own | about US$134–US$221 |
| Total | about US$1,740–US$3,300 |
For 2 people sharing a room. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra. Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: Riverton
about 20 min by car · 9 places to stay
about US$127/nightcountry average
About Riverton its beds, food and every spot near it
About US$127 a night is our estimate of the country's average 2-star double room that month: not each town's price, and not a quote. Drives are estimates. Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 30 October 2026.
Getting there: about 30h 30m
About 30h 30m door to door from Chicago
Fly MDW → IVC, changing at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Auckland International Airport (AKL), then 55 min by road
Flights MDW → IVC on your dates · Skyscanner
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.