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Shipwrecks Bay 80.6
#1833 of 5753 surf spots in the world · 🇳🇿 New Zealand · Northland · near Kaitaia
Works almost every day, no off season, a mission to reach.
Works all yearRemoteIntermediate
Surf score80.6 /100
Surfable days94% of the year
Clean days32% groundswell + friendly wind
Groundswell60% period 11 s+
Typical size1.2 m 3.9 ft median
Water18°C a 3/2 wetsuit
Best time to surf Shipwrecks Bay
The best time to surf Shipwrecks Bay is January, April, November. The season runs Jan to Jan. In April the water sits around 19°C, so pack a 2 mm shorty, and the typical wave is 1.2 m. The nearest airport is AKL (253 km) and the nearest town is Kaitaia (16 km).
| Month | Surfable | Clean | Size | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87% | 44% | 0.9 m | 20°C | 2mm |
| Feb | 92% | 27% | 0.9 m | 20°C | 2mm |
| Mar | 89% | 27% | 1.0 m | 20°C | 2mm |
| Apr | 95% | 54% | 1.2 m | 19°C | 2mm |
| May | 96% | 28% | 1.3 m | 18°C | 3/2 |
| Jun | 97% | 19% | 1.3 m | 17°C | 3/2 |
| Jul | 97% | 25% | 1.5 m | 16°C | 4/3 |
| Aug | 98% | 19% | 1.6 m | 15°C | 4/3 |
| Sep | 98% | 34% | 1.5 m | 15°C | 4/3 |
| Oct | 96% | 36% | 1.2 m | 17°C | 3/2 |
| Nov | 95% | 42% | 1.2 m | 18°C | 3/2 |
| Dec | 93% | 28% | 1.1 m | 20°C | 2mm |
Why 80.6
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%
19.3
Groundswell 12%
12.0
Season spread 10%
10.0
Wave size 8%
2.9
Water comfort 10%
3.5
Access 10%
4.9
The detail
Faces 0° with 28% open water around it. Friendly morning wind 54% of days. Mean peak period 12.5 s. Days over 3 m: 4%. Mellow days (0.4 to 1.2 m): 50%. Months that work: 12 of 12. Coordinates -35.178, 173.119 (OpenStreetMap).
Spots nearby
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