Isolated right reefs on the Kauri Coast north of Dargaville that throw powerful, challenging waves for small groups of experts; the council rates the Kawerua-Waipoua reefs 10 of 10 for quality and 8 for consistency. It works best on a SW swell with ENE winds around high tide. Watch for: isolated, powerful; experts only.
Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.
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Water temp
18°C
Wetsuit
3/2mm fullsuit
Difficulty
8/10
Crowd level
2/10
The Waipoua Reefs profile favors high tide. Compare this preference with the forecast tide and local conditions before choosing a session.
The Waipoua Reefs profile uses wind from ENE (60°) as its preferred direction, with an offshore range of 15° to 105°. Wind speed matters too: light winds outside that range can still produce surfable conditions, while strong offshore winds can make takeoffs difficult.
The Waipoua Reefs scoring profile favors swell from SW (190° to 310°), a swell-height range of 0.8m to 3.9m, and a reference period of 13s. These are model inputs, not guaranteed breaking-wave heights or a promise that the surf will suit every ability.
The main season at Waipoua Reefs is Mar-Nov.
The spot profile lists KKE as a nearby airport. The estimated road transfer is 95 minutes.
Waipoua Reefs is a reef break, a right-hander. Difficulty is rated 8/10.
Peak: Mar-Nov
🥝 Right-hand reef • SW swell magnet • Ahipara and Tauroa Point
🥝 Left-hand point • SW swell magnet • Ahipara and Tauroa Point
🥝 Left-hand point • SW swell magnet • Ahipara and Tauroa Point
🥝 Left-hand point • SW swell magnet • Ahipara and Tauroa Point
🥝 Left-hand point • SW swell magnet • Ahipara and Tauroa Point
🥝 Left-hand point • SW swell magnet • Ahipara and Tauroa Point