Midshore Bay Surf Guide

Midshore Bay in Kaikoura is an exposed point break that has fairly consistent surf, although summer tends to be mostly flat. Offshore winds are from the north. Groundswells and windswells are equally likely and the ideal swell direction is from the south southeast.The break here is a left hand point. Best around high tide. Even when there are waves, it's not likley to be crowded.

Midshore Bay Spot Info

Type:Rating:Reliability:Todays Sea Temp*:
Point3fairly consistent
50°F*ocean temperature recorded from satellite

Surfing Midshore Bay:

The best conditions reported for surf at Midshore Bay occur when a South-southeast swell combines with an offshore wind direction from the North.

What's the best time of year to surf Midshore Bay (for consistent clean waves)?

juneBest Season: winter
The best time of year for surfing Midshore Bay with consistent clean waves (rideable swell with light / offshore winds) is during Winter  and most often the month of June. Clean surfable waves are typically found 31% of the time in June while 35% of the time it tends to be blown out. For the remaining 34% of the time it is considered too small by most surfers but may still be OK for beginners and groms at times.
clean
31%
Surfable waves that hold up well for longer rides in prevailing cross-offshore, offshore or light wind conditions.
blown out
35%
Surfable sized waves that are of poorer quality due to prevailing onshore, cross-onshore or windy conditions (may be preferable for kitesurfing).
too small
34%
Waves usually considered too small for good surf. Some wave-magnet breaks may still work though if conditions are right (on occasion).

Explore Midshore Bay Location Map

Interactive Midshore Bay surf break location map. View information about nearby surf breaks, their wave consistency and rating compared to other spots in the region. Current swell conditions from local buoys are shown along with live wind speed and direction from nearby weather stations. Click icons on the map for more detail. The closest passenger airport to Midshore Bay is Christchurch International Airport (CHC) in New Zealand, 49 km (30 miles) away (directly). The second nearest airport to Midshore Bay is Hokitika Airport (HKK), also in New Zealand, 159 km (99 miles) away.

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  • Live Wave Height (ft)
  • Live Wind Speed (mph)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (ft)
  • Wind Speed (mph)
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Please note that some surf spot locations are approximate to protect their exact location while others are not shown at close zoom level.
Midshore Bay Surf Forecasts:
Todays Surf Summary
Monday, 7 July 2025, 19:49 Local Time
MonTuesday 08
9PM0AM3AM6AM
Wave (ft)
1.5
SE
1.5
SE
1.5
SE
1.5
SE
Period (s) 15 16 15 15
Wind (mph)
5
5
5
5
Wind State off off off glass

Swell History at Midshore Bay

Surf stats for Midshore Bay, see the swell variation by month or season on the history page here.

Wind History at Midshore Bay

Wind stats for Midshore Bay, see the variation in direction and stength by month or season on the history page here.

Midshore Bay Reviews:

Interactive Porthcawl Point location map. View nearby buoy information, live wind conditions and surrounding roads, paths and locations to help find new breaks. Click the buoys or wind icon to view more information.

Ratings
Based on 2 votes.
  • Overall:3.0
  • Quality on a good day:3.0
  • Consistency of Surf:3.0
  • Crowds:4.0
  • ...

See all 18 ratings


Review
Impartial reviews submitted by Surf-Forecast users.
Max from New Zealand
“The point is a nice wave at mid to high, shallow and rock , but low tide there is a break on in the sandy area. Will still crank at high tide if there’s plenty of power.”

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