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The Gap 69.0
#2583 of 5753 surf spots in the world · 🇳🇿 New Zealand · Wellington · near Masterton
Works almost every day, wind is the enemy here, no off season.
Works all yearIntermediate
Surf score69.0 /100
Surfable days99% of the year
Clean days20% groundswell + friendly wind
Groundswell33% period 11 s+
Typical size1.5 m 5.0 ft median
Water15°C a 4/3 with boots
Best time to surf The Gap
The best time to surf The Gap is May, July, August. It rarely works. In May 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 PMR (82 km) and the nearest town is Masterton (49 km).
| Month | Surfable | Clean | Size | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 99% | 17% | 1.3 m | 17°C | 3/2 |
| Feb | 99% | 12% | 1.5 m | 17°C | 3/2 |
| Mar | 100% | 16% | 1.6 m | 16°C | 3/2 |
| Apr | 99% | 25% | 1.6 m | 16°C | 4/3 |
| May | 99% | 32% | 1.7 m | 14°C | 4/3 |
| Jun | 98% | 20% | 1.8 m | 14°C | 4/3 |
| Jul | 98% | 26% | 1.7 m | 13°C | 5/4 |
| Aug | 98% | 28% | 1.7 m | 12°C | 5/4 |
| Sep | 99% | 24% | 1.7 m | 12°C | 5/4 |
| Oct | 99% | 21% | 1.5 m | 14°C | 4/3 |
| Nov | 99% | 8% | 1.2 m | 15°C | 4/3 |
| Dec | 99% | 11% | 1.3 m | 16°C | 3/2 |
Why 69.0
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%
6.4
Season spread 10%
10.0
Wave size 8%
4.3
Water comfort 10%
1.1
Access 10%
7.6
The detail
Faces 120° with 53% open water around it. Friendly morning wind 60% of days. Mean peak period 10.2 s. Days over 3 m: 5%. Mellow days (0.4 to 1.2 m): 26%. Months that work: 12 of 12. Coordinates -40.908, 176.222 (OpenStreetMap).
Spots nearby
Tora🇳🇿 New Zealand · score 74.6Otaki River mouth🇳🇿 New Zealand · score 53.2Lake Ferry🇳🇿 New Zealand · score 52.5Paekakariki🇳🇿 New Zealand · score 53.2
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