Staying Home Sucks, home

Tuapeka Point

Surf spot · New Zealand

Is it worth the trip?

9Poor out of 100 for your dates

Stay home

Best on Sun 8: too small (4 ft swell at 7 s), sheltered (estimated): holds up in a blow

Each day of your trip, out of 100

Tue 3 · 9 out of 100

Swell
2 ft5 smushy
Energy
21kJ
Wind
WSW 3 kn
Temp
12°C

Wed 4 · 3 out of 100

Swell
1 ft7 smushy
Energy
16kJ
Wind
NNE 8 kn
Temp
13°C

Thu 5 · 1 out of 100

Swell
1 ft6 smushy
Energy
12kJ
Wind
N 22 kn
Temp
14°C

Fri 6 · 2 out of 100

Swell
2 ft8 smushy
Energy
27kJ
Wind
N 21 kn
Temp
14°C

Sat 7 · 4 out of 100

Swell
4 ft8 smushy
Energy
158kJ
Wind
N 22 kn
Temp
14°C

Sun 8 · 26 out of 100

Swell
4 ft7 smushy
Energy
144kJ
Wind
N 9 kn
Temp
13°C

Mon 9 · 3 out of 100

Swell
2 ft6 smushy
Energy
28kJ
Wind
N 15 kn
Temp
14°C

Tap a day for waves, wind and the temperature. Full forecast

Forecast: next 9 days

Full forecast
  1. Mon 28, too small
  2. Tue 39, too small
  3. Wed 43, too small
  4. Thu 51, too small
  5. Fri 62, too small
  6. Sat 74, too small
  7. Sun 826, too small
  8. Mon 93, too small
  9. Tue 102, too small

The spot in five facts

  • Faces NEtakes swell from the NE
  • Offshore: SWwind from the land
  • Intermediate +who it suits
  • Works 5–18 ftof swell
  • Water 13 °C4/3 wetsuit and boots

Full forecast

every day, every number
Forecast and score for intermediate surfers at Tuapeka Point, each day
DayScore for intermediatesSwellEnergyWindTemp
Mon 2Nov8, too small3 ft6 smushy3 ft at break (est.)56kJwind from the west-north-west, 18 knots14°C
Tue 3Nov9, too small2 ft5 smushy1 ft at break (est.)21kJwind from the west-south-west, 3 knots, offshore12°C
Wed 4Nov3, too small1 ft7 smushyunder 1 ft at break (est.)16kJwind from the north-north-east, 8 knots13°C
Thu 5Nov1, too small1 ft6 smushyunder 1 ft at break (est.)12kJwind from the north, 22 knots14°C
Fri 6Nov2, too small2 ft8 smushy2 ft at break (est.)27kJwind from the north, 21 knots14°C
Sat 7Nov4, too small4 ft8 smushy4 ft at break (est.)158kJwind from the north, 22 knots14°C
Sun 8Nov26, too small4 ft7 smushy4 ft at break (est.)144kJwind from the north, 9 knots13°C
Mon 9Nov3, too small2 ft6 smushy3 ft at break (est.)28kJwind from the north, 15 knots14°C
Tue 10Nov2, too small2 ft7 smushy3 ft at break (est.)27kJwind from the north, 25 knots14°C

Energy is the swell's power, in kJ per metre of wave. Wind is in knots, the arrow where it blows to; green is offshore. More

Tide

  • Mon 2 NovLow 05:47 −0.7 mHigh 12:09 +0.7 mLow 18:28 −0.6 m
  • Tue 3 NovHigh 00:27 +0.5 mLow 06:43 −0.6 mHigh 13:05 +0.6 mLow 19:25 −0.6 m
  • Wed 4 NovHigh 01:27 +0.5 mLow 07:41 −0.6 mHigh 14:01 +0.6 mLow 20:24 −0.6 m

Local clock times; heights about mean sea level. On open coasts the times are usually within a quarter of an hour; in bays, estuaries and on the Gulf of Mexico they can be an hour or more out. Tide: EOT20 global ocean tide model, Hart-Davis et al. 2021, DGFI-TUM (doi:10.17882/79489), CC BY 4.0. Times and heights computed by us. A model, not a tide table: check a local table before you go.

Forecast updated . It refreshes every three hours. Forecast data: ECMWF, DWD, Météo-France and NOAA, served by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0). Changed by us. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information.

Map

the spot and its town

Each place wears its best day on these dates, a surf spot for intermediates: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.

Surf spot

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About

the place in full, sources, credits

About Tuapeka Point

Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated.

The spot faces NE (48°), so it takes swell from the NE. The wind blows offshore from the SW (228°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 5–18 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 300 m out (1 in 28). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would crumble. The sea is about 12°C in July, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 16°C in January, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). No town nearby. Nearest place to stay we found: Henga Lodge, 15 km. Nearest beds: Castlepoint, 677 km. Nearest airport: Inia William Tuuta Memorial Airport (CHT), 10 km.

Water about 13°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

The score is the conditions only: the journey, the price and the partners never change it (how we score, how we earn).

Rough cost (estimate): about US$1,270–US$2,520 each

about US$1,270–US$2,520 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: flights, taxi, food, board and wetsuit.

Our estimate from typical public prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book (where they come from). Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 30 October 2026.

How we worked it out 
Rough cost per person for this trip
WhatHow we worked it outEach
Flightsreturn MDW to CHT, estimated from distance and season, changing at DFW and AKL, full-service airlines, with a hold bagabout US$817–US$1,690
Taxiairport and back, sharedabout US$20–US$40
Food7 days eating outabout US$301–US$563
Board and wetsuit5 days, or about US$114 to fly your ownabout US$134–US$221
Totalabout US$1,270–US$2,520

No town nearby, so no stay is in it. For 2 people sharing a room. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra. Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.

Where to stay: nearest beds 677 km away

No town nearby

Nearest place to stay we found: Henga Lodge, 15 km. Nearest beds: Castlepoint, 677 km. Nearest airport: Inia William Tuuta Memorial Airport (CHT), 10 km.

See places to stay near Castlepoint, 677 km away · Booking.com

Getting there: about 29h 55m

About 29h 55m door to door from Chicago

Fly MDW → CHT, changing at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Auckland International Airport (AKL), then 30 min by road

An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.