Oakura Beach • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (April - August)

Oakura Beach hits its stride during the southern autumn and winter. From April through August, average swell heights climb into the 6-7ft (1.8-2.1m) class, wave periods sit in the powerful 11.7-12.3s range, and the Tasman Sea/Southern Ocean storm track is in full swing. The spot's preferred N, NNW, NW and WNW swell windows carry more of the available energy, while offshore S, SSW, SW and WSW winds still show up often enough to keep the lineup reasonably clean. This is the most reliable stretch for that combination of size, period and shape that makes Oakura's sandbars light up.

Fair Surf Season (February - March & September - November)

The shoulder seasons are more of a pick-and-choose game. February and March deliver some of the highest 'ideal wind' percentages of the year - 26 percent - along with fun, rideable 5-6ft (1.5-1.8m) surf, but the raw size is a notch below the winter months. September through November, on the other hand, keeps a lot of solid 6-7ft (1.8-2.1m) groundswell in the water, yet ideal wind frequencies drop to 16-17 percent and onshore N-NW winds become more common. The windows are there, but you have to be ready to move when a high-pressure ridge aligns with a long-period WSW-WNW swell train.

Low Surf Season (December - January)

Midsummer is Oakura's fickle stretch. Average swell heights slip to around 5ft (1.6m), periods ease back to 11.0-11.4s, and the prevailing summer pattern funnels more N, NW and NNW winds - the spot's onshore directions - across the beach. There are still rideable waves, especially for longboards and grovelers, but the consistency, power and open-face quality are harder to find. Serious wave hunters should use these months for beach days, family time and keeping the quiver waxed for the autumn change.