Over Arthur's Pass and down the wildest coastline in the country: Greymouth's rivermouth walls, Punakaiki's beach breaks under the pancake rocks, Okarito's glacier-country peaks and finally Jackson Bay at the end of the road, where the Southern Alps fall straight into the Tasman. Big skies, no crowds, sandflies with a work ethic.
Day 1 is today. Forecast refreshes every 3 hours.
West Coast South Island · 3hr session
First surf after the pass, at the Grey rivermouth tipheads. The bar shapes long walls with the right swell and tide, and the locals will tell you which side is working.
West Coast South Island · 3hr session
Morning mission north past Westport. Consistent swell magnet of a bay with a seal colony on the point. The left off the rocks is the wave.
West Coast South Island · 3hr session
Back south for the afternoon under the pancake rocks. Beach peaks framed by nikau palms and limestone cliffs, the most scenic lineup on the coast.
West Coast South Island · 3hr session
Glacier country. A tiny seaside settlement with peaks up and down an empty driftwood beach. Surf, then kayak the lagoon if the wind comes up.
West Coast South Island · 4hr session
The end of the road, literally. Okahu picks up everything the Tasman sends and the mountains come down to the waterline. Camp at Neils Beach and absorb it.
West Coast South Island · 3hr session
Dawn patrol for the morning offshore, then out over Haast Pass toward Wanaka with the best of the coast behind you.
Aotearoa Surf can help with lessons, board hire and accommodation across most North Island routes. Get in touch for a guided run of any of these trips.
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