Wellington

While Wellington isn’t exactly famous for it’s surf spots, we’ve got consistent breaks for all levels both within the city, and throughout the wider region. Lyall Bay, Houghton Bay, and Titahi Bay are the main local breaks and because they’re inner-city, there’s no secrecy.

You’ll find cams for both Lyall and Titahi on surf2surf (paid) and they each come with their perks. Houghton tends to be heavier, steeper and an all-round more advanced wave so not the best for beginners, but with Lyall bay literally just down the road, there’s waves for everyone. Lyall is Wellington city’s main break. It’s a long beach break with a left-hand point peeling off from the airport runway. Best in a Southerly swell with a Northerly wind, there’s usually heavy sets in ‘the corner’ (the airport point break) and as you make your way east across Lyall, the waves are often smaller and fatter (this depends a little on the swell direction, of course). If you catch Titahi on the perfect swell and wind change, you’ll find some amazing quality waves (it’s even known to barrel), but those days are reasonably rare. It’s best with a SE swell and a NW wind, but when it’s good it’s a ‘drop what you’re doing and rush out there’ kind of break. 

There are a lot more breaks along the coast both ways, but your best bet is to head towards the Wairarapa. There’s countless well-known and not-so-well-known breaks throughout the region that aren’t hard to find if you do a little digging and exploring, it’s just worth noting that a lot of these breaks are a bit less forgiving than Lyall’s beginner-friendly wave and a lot more remote so make sure you’re prepared and beginners aren’t surfing alone. Oh, and bring your winter wettie, hood, and booties unless you’re surfing in the peak of summer – those southerly swells coupled with the famous Wellington wind make things pretty chilly. If you’ve got any questions or just want a cool crew to surf with, Gurfers in Wellington is always a good place to start.