Motunau Beach Island

Best Surf Season (May - August)

Winter is the main event at Motunau Beach Island. As the Southern Ocean storm track ramps up, extratropical lows marching west to east below New Zealand send long-period S, SSW and SW swells toward the Canterbury coast. Average wave heights climb to 1.4m (4-5ft), average periods hover around 10.7-11.2s, and the wind is ideal a solid 53-58 percent of the time. The combination of longer-period groundswell and frequent N/NW offshore flow is the recipe for the cleanest, most powerful surf of the year. Water temperatures drop to 9-11°C, so a 5/4 hooded suit is essential, but the reward is consistent, punchy waves.