Best time to surf Punakaiki

The best time to surf at Punakaiki is June–August, with waves of about 1.5 m and water around 13°C.

Punakaiki, West Coast, New Zealand

Sports: Surfing

Best time to go: June–August

Punakaiki is a small settlement on State Highway 6 between Greymouth and Westport, about 45 km north of Greymouth, at the edge of Paparoa National Park. It is known for the Pancake Rocks and blowholes at Dolomite Point, at the south end of the beach. The village has a visitor centre, a café, a campground and some accommodation; the coast in front of it is part of the Punakaiki Marine Reserve, where nothing may be taken.

The beach is an exposed beach break with several peaks, lefts and rights over sand with rocks at the ends, and gets fairly consistent surf all year. It is usually best in a south-west to west swell with an easterly wind, which blows offshore; small days suit improving surfers. At the mouth of the Punakaiki River, at the north end, the sandbars can line up well; park on the north side of the river and paddle out from there. Woodpecker Bay, a few kilometres north, is another sandy beach break that picks up a lot of swell.

The beaches here are dangerous for swimming because of strong rips, and the West Coast has few lifeguards, so surf with others and only when you are confident in the conditions. The water is about 13 °C in August and 19 °C in February: a 5/4 with boots in winter, a 4/3 or 3/2 in summer.

Month by month at Punakaiki

January: 2 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 7 knots, waves 0.7 m, water 19°C, air 20°C (nights 15°C), 27 sunny days, 15 rainy days
February: 3 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 0.6 m, water 19°C, air 19°C (nights 15°C), 24 sunny days, 12 rainy days
March: 3 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 7 knots, waves 0.8 m, water 18°C, air 18°C (nights 14°C), 25 sunny days, 16 rainy days
April: 4 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 1 m, water 17°C, air 17°C (nights 13°C), 20 sunny days, 16 rainy days
May: 6 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 1.2 m, water 16°C, air 15°C (nights 11°C), 19 sunny days, 17 rainy days
June: 5 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 1.5 m, water 14°C, air 14°C (nights 10°C), 17 sunny days, 17 rainy days
July: 6 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 1.6 m, water 13°C, air 13°C (nights 9°C), 18 sunny days, 18 rainy days
August: 6 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 1.5 m, water 13°C, air 12°C (nights 9°C), 22 sunny days, 18 rainy days
September: 10 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 10 knots, waves 1.4 m, water 13°C, air 13°C (nights 10°C), 22 sunny days, 23 rainy days
October: 6 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 9 knots, waves 1.3 m, water 14°C, air 14°C (nights 11°C), 23 sunny days, 20 rainy days
November: 5 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 1.1 m, water 15°C, air 16°C (nights 12°C), 23 sunny days, 17 rainy days
December: 5 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 0.8 m, water 17°C, air 18°C (nights 14°C), 25 sunny days, 21 rainy days