Okiwi – Whangapoua Estuary Surf Forecast and Surf Reports

“When it is on, Whangapoua is an excellent wave. Even by New Zealand's high standards, the setting is magnificent, the water is warm and prstine. Shark sightings are common but attacks are not. The local surfers seem to be totally at ease with the risk. This may or may not have something to do with the local herbs.

The swell on exposed Great Barrier Island is usually a bit bigger than the Coromandel surf spots, especially if the SE swell direction means that Coromandel is being sheltered by East Cape. I spent a week there once when there was a modest cyclone off Fiji and the strong NE swells made for epic surf all along the East Coast of Great Barrier but nowhere was better than Whangapoua.

There are peaks all along the long beach, but when people mention Whangapoua the are invariably referring to the right hander that breaks at the rivermouth at the south end of the beach. This wave frequently offers visiting surfers with powerful and hollow waves that can be surfed well overhead.

Getting to Great Barrier itself already requires a bit of planning and expense but it is worth it. Either fly from Auckland or take the ferry from the downtown wharf on a slow but very scenic crossing. Look out for dolphins following the boat. It's a 100km to downtown Auckland so you will have plenty of time. Bear in mind that the chances are the reason you will be on the boat at all is because there is a swell running and if this is getting into the Hauraki Gulf, you'll need a strong stomach because the small boat will be thrown about a bit.

Most surfers would opt for the Ferry because the small planes limit what you can carry and there is no chance to hire anything once you get here and supplies are a bit limited and a bit expensive, but hey, rather than wasting an hour of your life walking around Pak'n Save, travel light and support the shops on the Island.

It is possible to take the ferry as a foot passenger and hire a vehicle when you arrive. 4WD is best because most of Great Barrier is serviced only by dirt roads and some coastal tracks are rough.

Whangapoua itself requires a long walk over the estuary at low tide and long paddling when the tide is in, which can seem like very hard work after a long surf session.

Officially there is no camping on Great Barrier apart from at DOC sites which should be booked in advance. Otherwise, sleep in your van or rent a place. Plenty of batches available. In summer, when lots of Aucklanders holiday here, this can be tricky/expensive, but the rest of the year Great Barrier is a very quiet place to visit.

I was surprised how many other surfers were at Whangapoua when I was there, given its remoteness, but then again with a cyclone swell running, all the surfers in Auckland must have known it would be firing. Even with 15 out there were plenty of waves and a super-friendly atmosphere in the water just the same. Naturally, the handful of local surfers had the place wired.

Aside from the surf, there is plenty to enjoy on Great Barrier as long as you are into the great outdoors. Some stunning mountain walks take you by hot springs and old Kauri dams. The views are breathtaking. Look out for Kiwis around dusk. The fishing is world class and against all odds for an Island with no mains power there a few excellent places to eat including an internet Cafe in Claris where you can check the weather and surf predictions and I was amazed to find that from the highest point of the road I could get a reasonable Telecom GPRS signal.

For a little luxury, there is an excellent Angsana Thai restaurant (mains $28). You can't miss it.”