Surf spot

Pataua

Forecast conditions and map view for Pataua in New Zealand, New Zealand NI, NE Coast. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: New Zealand, New Zealand NI, NE Coast
Coordinates: -35.7113, 174.5230

Metric
Metric	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00
Wave height (m)	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.5	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.3
Wave direction	ESE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ESE	E	NE	ENE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	E	ESE	ESE	ENE	NE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	E	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	E	E	E	ESE
Wave period (s)	7.5	9.1	8.8	8.7	8.6	7.1	6	5.6	8.2	8.1	8.2	8.2	9.3	8.3	4.8	8.4	10.4	9.7	9.7	9.9	9.8	9.4	9.4	9.3	9.2	9.2	9.2	9.3	9.2	9.2	9.2	9.1	8.9	8	9.1	8.4	6.3	4.7	4.5	4.7	4.2	3.8	4.3	4.8	4.6	5.4	6	4.9	4.5	4.6	4.5	4.8	5	5.5	5.3	5.2
Wave energy (kJ)	3	4	3	3	3	1	1	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	1	2	3	3	3	3	3	4	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	11	7	9	8	10	11	9	16	15	21	26	27	21	20	14	14	8	6
Wind speed (km/h)	6.9	11.7	13	12.1	15.5	17.1	13	6.6	6.6	7.5	6.6	8.9	8.4	8.4	11	7.2	6	6.2	7.9	7.3	7.9	11	10.1	6.6	7.1	7.5	6.3	6.3	7.8	11	4.3	3.9	7	5	8.2	13.6	18.1	23.5	21.1	20.3	20.5	20.1	18.1	18.7	21.4	19.1	15.6	4.1	11.1	12	17.8	14.3	17.4	18.6	14.7	12.5
Wind direction	WSWOffshore	SWOffshore	SWOffshore	SWOffshore	SWCross-off	SWOffshore	SWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	SWOffshore	SSWCross-off	SWOffshore	SWCross-off	SWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	SSWCross-off	SWOffshore	SWCross-off	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	NECross-on	NEOnshore	EGlassy	SWGlassy	WNWCross-off	NNWCross	NNWCross	NNWCross	NCross-on	NCross-on	NCross	NNWCross	NWCross	WNWCross-off	NWCross-off	NWCross	NNWCross	NNWCross	NNWCross	NWGlassy	SSWCross-off	SWOffshore	SWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore

Pataua (North Island, NE Coast, New Zealand) is a scenic estuary-mouth surf spot near Whangārei on the northeast coast of New Zealand. It’s known for its beautiful setting, with surf breaking near the river entrance and a backdrop of dunes, headlands, and coastal bush.

Wave type

Mostly a beachbreak / river-mouth setup
Can offer lefts and rights depending on sand and swell direction
Best after consistent swell reshapes the banks

Conditions

Works best with easterly to north-easterly swell
Generally likes westerly or offshore winds for cleaner faces
Can be sensitive to tides because of the inlet/river-mouth influence

Characteristics

Can produce fun, punchy waves when the banks line up
Often better for intermediate surfers, though conditions can vary and get challenging when bigger or more hollow
Sandbars can shift seasonally, so the quality can change a lot

Hazards / notes

Strong currents near the river mouth and channel
Possible changing sandbanks
Local knowledge is useful because access, tides, and the best bank can vary

Vibe

A fairly quiet, uncrowded spot compared with more famous NZ surf beaches
More of a local gem than a consistent marquee break