Point
right
Level 4/10

Potato Point

Purakaunui, New Zealand
🪨Rocks

Multi-section right that peels west off Potato Point over boulders and sand, under steep cliffs, toward Purakaunui Beach. Sheltered from strong southerlies; NE-E swell only (geometry closes the window at about 115 degrees). It works best on a NE swell with SW winds around low tide. Watch for: boulders, long paddle from the river mouth.

Potato Point surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast
Today20
41
Poor
1.8m@10s
9km/h
Wed21
43
Poor
1.2m@13s
7km/h
Thu22
46
Fair
0.9m@11s
6km/h
Fri23
35
Poor
1.0m@13s
9km/h
Sat24
37
Poor
1.0m@15s
7km/h
Sun25
33
Poor
1.1m@16s
9km/h
Mon26
0
Poor
0.6m@8s
19km/h
Tue27
21
Poor
1.4m@9s
25km/h
Wed28
18
Poor
1.1m@10s
15km/h
Thu29
46
Fair
1.2m@15s
8km/h
5+ days out, less certain

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Best session: AfternoonAM 8 km/h · PM 9 km/h · Low tide at 5pm (0.2m)
Swell
1.8m
SSW(192°)
Score: 22/25
Period
10s
Mid-period swell
Score: 21/25
Wind
9km/h
NE(50°)
Score: 11/25
Weather
13°C
0.0mm68%
First light 6:05amSunrise 6:35amSunset 8:10pmLast light 8:40pm
Windswell
—
Secondary
0.1m
Confidence
100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...
Swell1.8m @10s SSW outside window
Wind9 km/h NE onshore
SwellWind: Offshore Cross OnshoreShaded = inside ideal window
Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 6:05–7:30am · risingStrike window: 2:12–8:09pm · through lowIdeal tide: low
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
°C
10°
11°
14°
15°
14°
8°
14°
18°
18°
15°
11°
16°
19°
20°
17°
11°
14°
18°
19°
19°
10°
14°
17°
17°
17°
10°
16°
19°
21°
20°
13°
16°
21°
21°
18°
7°
9°
12°
13°
13°
7°
11°
18°
20°
18°
12°
11°
11°
10°
10°
2m1.0
sec
10s
10s
10s
10s
10s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
11s
11s
11s
11s
11s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
10s
10s
10s
10s
10s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
swell
windkm/h
8g13
8g19
11g24
10g28
8g20
8g23
8g23
2g21
10g23
8g23
4g14
5g19
2g31
5g32
17g37
8g16
9g21
10g24
11g25
1g25
1g8
4g13
11g24
12g28
4g27
8g16
7g17
9g25
9g28
11g26
22g42
26g50
26g55
11g59
14g62
27g76
27g72
28g64
25g62
17g61
6g19
8g28
20g46
21g55
15g58
2g25
6g30
15g41
11g43
6g39
tidem
4:30am0.2m
10:55am1.3m
5:05pm0.2m
5:14am0.1m
11:38am1.3m
5:51pm0.2m
6:04am0.1m
12:19pm1.4m
6:33pm0.1m
12:38am1.4m
6:46am0.0m
1:01pm1.5m
7:11pm0.0m
1:22am1.4m
7:30am0.0m
1:43pm1.5m
7:51pm0.0m
2:01am1.6m
8:10am0.0m
2:23pm1.6m
8:30pm0.1m
2:45am1.8m
8:56am0.1m
3:07pm1.8m
9:11pm0.1m
3:30am1.9m
9:45am0.1m
3:55pm1.8m
10:01pm0.1m
4:21am2.0m
10:38am0.2m
4:47pm1.8m
5:13am2.0m
Ideal tide (from tide preference)Strike windowNight

Tide times today

4:30 am
Low · 0.19m
10:55 am
High · 1.25m
5:05 pm
Low · 0.18m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

41
Poor
Components
Swell Direction0/25
Swell Size22/25
Swell Period21/25
Wind11/25
Raw Score54/100
Adjustments
💨 Gusty Wind-3
⚠️ Weak Component-10
Adjusted Score41/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score41

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to DUD, departing today with a 5-day trip window.

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
NE (50°)
Direction range
25° - 110°
Size range
0.9m - 3.4m
Ideal size
2m - 2.8m
Height multiplier
0.90×
Ideal period
11s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
SW (225°)
Offshore range
180° - 270°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
low

Water temp

12°C

Wetsuit

5/4mm + boots

Difficulty

4/10

Crowd level

2/10

Frequently Asked Questions

What tide is best at Potato Point?

The Potato Point profile favors low tide. Compare this preference with the forecast tide and local conditions before choosing a session.

What wind direction is offshore at Potato Point?

The Potato Point profile uses wind from SW (225°) as its preferred direction, with an offshore range of 180° to 270°. Wind speed matters too: light winds outside that range can still produce surfable conditions, while strong offshore winds can make takeoffs difficult.

What swell size and direction work best at Potato Point?

The Potato Point scoring profile favors swell from NE (25° to 110°), a swell-height range of 0.9m to 3.4m, and a reference period of 11s. These are model inputs, not guaranteed breaking-wave heights or a promise that the surf will suit every ability.

When is the best time of year to surf Potato Point?

The main season at Potato Point is Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr.

How do I get to Potato Point?

The spot profile lists DUD as a nearby airport. The estimated road transfer is 50 minutes.

What kind of wave is Potato Point?

Potato Point is a point break, a right-hander. Difficulty is rated 4/10.

Best Season

Peak: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr

Getting There

Airport
DUD
Drive time
50 min
Data quality
community

Strike Log

Community Discussion