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Pataua 55.4
#4074 of 5753 surf spots in the world · 🇳🇿 New Zealand · Northland · near Whangarei
Very consistent, wind is the enemy here, no off season.
Works all yearIntermediate
Surf score55.4 /100
Surfable days88% of the year
Clean days6% groundswell + friendly wind
Groundswell10% period 11 s+
Typical size1.1 m 3.4 ft median
Water18°C a 3/2 wetsuit
Best time to surf Pataua
The best time to surf Pataua is April, May, September. It rarely works. In May the water sits around 19°C, so pack a 3/2 wetsuit, and the typical wave is 1.1 m. The nearest airport is AKL (146 km) and the nearest town is Whangarei (18 km).
| Month | Surfable | Clean | Size | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 88% | 6% | 0.9 m | 21°C | 2mm |
| Feb | 94% | 4% | 1.2 m | 21°C | 2mm |
| Mar | 97% | 5% | 1.1 m | 21°C | 2mm |
| Apr | 87% | 10% | 1.0 m | 20°C | 2mm |
| May | 85% | 11% | 1.1 m | 19°C | 3/2 |
| Jun | 89% | 2% | 1.1 m | 18°C | 3/2 |
| Jul | 86% | 5% | 1.2 m | 16°C | 3/2 |
| Aug | 85% | 7% | 1.2 m | 15°C | 4/3 |
| Sep | 87% | 8% | 1.0 m | 15°C | 4/3 |
| Oct | 82% | 2% | 0.9 m | 16°C | 3/2 |
| Nov | 86% | 2% | 0.9 m | 19°C | 3/2 |
| Dec | 93% | 6% | 0.9 m | 20°C | 2mm |
Why 55.4
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%
2.9
Groundswell 12%
1.6
Season spread 10%
10.0
Wave size 8%
2.3
Water comfort 10%
3.9
Access 10%
7.3
The detail
Faces 57° with 39% open water around it. Friendly morning wind 59% of days. Mean peak period 8.8 s. Days over 3 m: 1%. Mellow days (0.4 to 1.2 m): 58%. Months that work: 12 of 12. Coordinates -35.711, 174.523 (OpenStreetMap).
Spots nearby
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