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Hickory Bay 74.2
#2266 of 5753 surf spots in the world · 🇳🇿 New Zealand · Canterbury · near Christchurch
Works almost every day, no off season, thick rubber.
Works all yearIntermediate
Surf score74.2 /100
Surfable days99% of the year
Clean days25% groundswell + friendly wind
Groundswell42% period 11 s+
Typical size1.6 m 5.1 ft median
Water13°C a 4/3 with boots
Best time to surf Hickory Bay
The best time to surf Hickory Bay is April, May, September. It rarely works. In April the water sits around 14°C, so pack a 4/3 with boots, and the typical wave is 1.7 m. The nearest airport is CHC (56 km) and the nearest town is Christchurch (47 km).
| Month | Surfable | Clean | Size | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 100% | 21% | 1.3 m | 17°C | 3/2 |
| Feb | 100% | 20% | 1.6 m | 17°C | 3/2 |
| Mar | 100% | 28% | 1.6 m | 16°C | 3/2 |
| Apr | 99% | 37% | 1.7 m | 14°C | 4/3 |
| May | 98% | 34% | 1.6 m | 13°C | 4/3 |
| Jun | 98% | 31% | 1.8 m | 11°C | 5/4 |
| Jul | 96% | 24% | 1.8 m | 10°C | 6/5 |
| Aug | 100% | 24% | 1.6 m | 10°C | 6/5 |
| Sep | 98% | 36% | 1.6 m | 10°C | 5/4 |
| Oct | 98% | 25% | 1.6 m | 12°C | 5/4 |
| Nov | 99% | 14% | 1.3 m | 14°C | 4/3 |
| Dec | 100% | 14% | 1.4 m | 16°C | 3/2 |
Why 74.2
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%
15.0
Groundswell 12%
8.3
Season spread 10%
10.0
Wave size 8%
4.4
Water comfort 10%
0.3
Access 10%
8.3
The detail
Faces 110° with 36% open water around it. Friendly morning wind 60% of days. Mean peak period 10.6 s. Days over 3 m: 6%. Mellow days (0.4 to 1.2 m): 21%. Months that work: 12 of 12. Coordinates -43.778, 173.109 (OpenStreetMap).
Spots nearby
Raupo Bay🇳🇿 New Zealand · score 62.4Magnet Bay🇳🇿 New Zealand · score 76.5Taylors mistake🇳🇿 New Zealand · score 64.5Sumner Bar🇳🇿 New Zealand · score 60.9
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