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Farewell Spit

Farewell Spit Surf Photo: 'Pilot Whales at Puponga' by Rob Davies

Lat Long: 40.51° S 172.76° E

Issued: 11 am 01 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in hr min

Today's Farewell Spit sea temperature is

14.6° C

Slightly warmer than usual

Farewell Spit surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.

16 Day Forecast Hourly Wave Energy Map Wave Height Map Wind Map

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Tides Sea Temperature

Guide Reviews (1)Photos (26)

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3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	WNW	W	N	N
	9 s	cross- on	9 s	11 s	11 s

Open ocean wave model on 3 February at 6 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Farewell Spit around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	WNW	WNW	WSW	N
	9 s	cross- on	9 s	15 s	11 s

Open ocean wave model on 3 February at 9 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Farewell Spit around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	WNW	WNW	WSW	WSW
	9 s	cross- on	9 s	10 s	14 s

Open ocean wave model on 4 February at 12 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Farewell Spit around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	WNW	WNW	WNW	WSW	WSW
	6 s	cross- on	6 s	14 s	10 s

Open ocean wave model on 4 February at 3 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Farewell Spit around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	WNW	W	WNW	WSW	N
	7 s	cross	7 s	13 s	10 s

Open ocean wave model on 4 February at 6 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Farewell Spit around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	W	WNW	WSW	N
	8 s	cross	8 s	13 s	10 s

Open ocean wave model on 4 February at 9 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Farewell Spit around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	WNW	WNW	WSW	N
	8 s	cross	8 s	13 s	10 s

Open ocean wave model on 4 February at 12 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Farewell Spit around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	WNW	WNW	WSW	N
	8 s	cross	8 s	13 s	10 s

Open ocean wave model on 4 February at 3 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Farewell Spit around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	W	WNW	WSW	NNW
	8 s	cross	8 s	12 s	14 s

Open ocean wave model on 4 February at 6 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Farewell Spit around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	WNW	WNW	WSW	NNW
	8 s	cross	8 s	12 s	14 s

Open ocean wave model on 4 February at 9 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Farewell Spit around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	WNW	WNW	WSW	NNW
	8 s	cross	8 s	12 s	13 s

Open ocean wave model on 5 February at 12 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Farewell Spit around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	W	WNW	WSW	NNW
	8 s	cross	8 s	12 s	13 s

Open ocean wave model on 5 February at 3 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Farewell Spit around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	W	WNW	WNW	WSW	NNW
	8 s	cross	8 s	11 s	13 s

Open ocean wave model on 5 February at 6 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Farewell Spit around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	WSW	WNW	WNW	WSW	NNW
	11 s	cross	7 s	11 s	13 s

Open ocean wave model on 5 February at 9 am

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Farewell Spit around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	WSW	WNW	WNW	WSW	NNW
	11 s	cross- on	7 s	11 s	13 s

Open ocean wave model on 5 February at 12 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Farewell Spit around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	WNW	WNW	WNW	WSW	NNW
	13 s	cross- on	7 s	11 s	13 s

Open ocean wave model on 5 February at 3 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Farewell Spit around the time the photo was taken

3 hours earlier	Peak Waves	Wind	Wind Waves	Swell 1	Swell 2	3 hours later
	WNW	WNW	WNW	WSW	NNW
	12 s	cross	7 s	11 s	13 s

Open ocean wave model on 5 February at 6 pm

Forecast wind and swell just offshore from Farewell Spit around the time the photo was taken

Image captured 2 hours and 4 minutes after low water (rising ordinary tide). Tide height was 1.0m (3.3 ft). Range 4.06m (13.3 ft). Toggle tide graph

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Farewell Spit Surf Photo: 'Pilot Whales at Puponga' by Rob Davies

The inside of Farewell Spit probably sees more whale strandings than anywhere else in the world. Volunteers keep a pod of 80 pilot whales from overheating on a hot summer day. Wet sheets help protect from the sun and moats are dug around each whale and filled with cool water. On this occasion, most of the whales survived.

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User: Rob Davies (1346 photos)

Country: New Zealand (2470 photos)

Photo taken at: 8:01 pm 4 Feb 2011