Best time to surf Porpoise Bay

The best time to surf at Porpoise Bay is July–September, with waves of about 1.6 m and water around 10°C.

Curio Bay, Southland (Catlins), New Zealand

Sports: Surfing, SUP

Best time to go: July–September

Porpoise Bay is a long, curving sandy bay in the Catlins, on the south coast of Southland, right next to Curio Bay on the Southern Scenic Route between Invercargill and Balclutha. Curio Bay, on the rocky headland at the south end, has the Curioscape heritage centre with a café, a restaurant and a camping ground; there are no food shops nearby, so bring supplies. A surf school runs lessons from the Curio campground, seven days a week in season.

The bay is an exposed beach and reef break with lefts and rights. It works best in a south swell with a northerly wind, which blows offshore, and has some shelter from south-westerlies. Waves are usually gentle inside the bay, which makes it popular with learners; Curio Bay, facing the open ocean, gets more swell. It is rarely crowded. Swimming, bodyboarding, kayaking and stand-up paddling are also popular here.

Hector's dolphins often swim in the surf in summer: let them come to you and don't chase them. Yellow-eyed penguins nest at the Curio Bay petrified forest, so no dogs, and sea lions often rest on the beach; keep your distance. Watch for rips, rocks and sharks; there are no lifeguards. The water is about 10 °C in August and 16 °C in February: a 5/4 or 6/5 with boots, gloves and a hood in winter, a 4/3 with boots in summer.

Month by month at Porpoise Bay

January: 8 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 10 knots, waves 0.6 m, water 16°C, air 17°C (nights 11°C), 24 sunny days, 17 rainy days
February: 8 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 10 knots, waves 0.6 m, water 16°C, air 18°C (nights 11°C), 23 sunny days, 16 rainy days
March: 9 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 10 knots, waves 0.9 m, water 15°C, air 17°C (nights 10°C), 22 sunny days, 17 rainy days
April: 11 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 11 knots, waves 1 m, water 14°C, air 15°C (nights 9°C), 18 sunny days, 15 rainy days
May: 10 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 11 knots, waves 1.2 m, water 13°C, air 13°C (nights 8°C), 16 sunny days, 16 rainy days
June: 8 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 10 knots, waves 1.4 m, water 11°C, air 11°C (nights 5°C), 14 sunny days, 15 rainy days
July: 10 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 11 knots, waves 1.5 m, water 10°C, air 10°C (nights 5°C), 15 sunny days, 15 rainy days
August: 10 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 11 knots, waves 1.6 m, water 10°C, air 11°C (nights 5°C), 20 sunny days, 18 rainy days
September: 17 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 13 knots, waves 1.6 m, water 11°C, air 12°C (nights 6°C), 20 sunny days, 21 rainy days
October: 16 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 13 knots, waves 1.3 m, water 12°C, air 13°C (nights 7°C), 22 sunny days, 20 rainy days
November: 10 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 11 knots, waves 1 m, water 13°C, air 15°C (nights 8°C), 24 sunny days, 18 rainy days
December: 10 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 11 knots, waves 0.8 m, water 14°C, air 16°C (nights 10°C), 24 sunny days, 22 rainy days