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Cliffs 66.2
#2761 of 5753 surf spots in the world · 🇳🇿 New Zealand · Gisborne District · near Gisborne
Works almost every day, wind is the enemy here, no off season.
Works all yearRemoteIntermediate
Surf score66.2 /100
Surfable days94% of the year
Clean days20% groundswell + friendly wind
Groundswell31% period 11 s+
Typical size1.3 m 4.4 ft median
Water16°C a 3/2 wetsuit
Best time to surf Cliffs
The best time to surf Cliffs is April, June, October. It rarely works. In April the water sits around 17°C, so pack a 3/2 wetsuit, and the typical wave is 1.5 m. The nearest airport is HLZ (253 km) and the nearest town is Gisborne (3 km).
| Month | Surfable | Clean | Size | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 96% | 15% | 1.1 m | 20°C | 2mm |
| Feb | 95% | 19% | 1.3 m | 20°C | 2mm |
| Mar | 97% | 15% | 1.4 m | 19°C | 3/2 |
| Apr | 97% | 29% | 1.5 m | 17°C | 3/2 |
| May | 97% | 22% | 1.5 m | 16°C | 4/3 |
| Jun | 95% | 23% | 1.6 m | 14°C | 4/3 |
| Jul | 97% | 20% | 1.4 m | 13°C | 5/4 |
| Aug | 96% | 21% | 1.5 m | 12°C | 5/4 |
| Sep | 95% | 22% | 1.4 m | 13°C | 5/4 |
| Oct | 90% | 26% | 1.4 m | 14°C | 4/3 |
| Nov | 85% | 6% | 1.0 m | 18°C | 3/2 |
| Dec | 91% | 15% | 1.1 m | 19°C | 2mm |
Why 66.2
Seven parts, each normalised 0 to 1 and weighted; the sum is scaled so the best spot in the world is 100.
Consistency 26%
26.0
Clean days 24%
11.6
Groundswell 12%
6.0
Season spread 10%
10.0
Wave size 8%
3.5
Water comfort 10%
2.3
Access 10%
5.1
The detail
Faces 220° with 19% open water around it. Friendly morning wind 64% of days. Mean peak period 10.4 s. Days over 3 m: 4%. Mellow days (0.4 to 1.2 m): 40%. Months that work: 12 of 12. Coordinates -38.687, 178.038 (OpenStreetMap).
Spots nearby
The rock🇳🇿 New Zealand · score 69.8Sponge bay🇳🇿 New Zealand · score 70.0The Island🇳🇿 New Zealand · score 69.3Roberts rd🇳🇿 New Zealand · score 67.9
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