Black Rock, Cook Islands
Also within 20 km of Avarua
- Tupis Passage Dive site · 1.5 km from Avarua
- Dianas Ridge Dive site · 3 km from Avarua
- Avaavaroa Passage Dive site · 4.7 km from Avarua
- Ava avarua Surf spot · 5.9 km from Avarua
- Arbuthnotts Dive site · 6.3 km from Avarua
Watch this spot We email you when Black Rock is worth the trip.
About Black Rock
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces NW (310°), so it takes swell from the NW. The wind blows offshore from the SE (130°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 4–17 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves steeply: 10 m deep about 150 m out (1 in 13). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 25°C in July, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 28°C in February, its warmest (no wetsuit). The town to stay in is Avarua, 3.1 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 6 dive sites.
Water about 25°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 22 h 50 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to RAR, changing at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL).
See flights ORD → RAR · Skyscanner from about £585 returnAdGetting there. 20 min from the airport to Black Rock.
Accommodation.
Stay in AvaruaAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Avarua (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Avarua 5 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 5 places to stay · where Black Rock stays
Places to stay in Avarua · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Avarua · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Avarua · GetYourGuideAd
Budget 
Mid-range 
Luxury Where it is
Black Rock on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for experts | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 37, fair | 8 ft8 scrumbling | 854kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-east, 38 knots, offshore | 24°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 23, poor | 7 ft9 shollow | 812kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 17 knots | 22°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 60, good | 7 ft9 shollow | 820kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-east, 12 knots, offshore | 21°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 63, good | 8 ft10 shollow | 1,173kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-east, 15 knots, offshore | 22°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 63, good | 8 ft10 shollow | 1,239kJ | offshorewind from the east-south-east, 13 knots, offshore | 22°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 64, good | 8 ft11 shollow | 1,410kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-east, 15 knots, offshore | 22°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 55, good | 8 ft10 shollow | 993kJ | offshorewind from the south-east, 14 knots, offshore | 22°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 65, good | 9 ft11 shollow | 1,842kJ | offshorewind from the south-east, 17 knots, offshore | 22°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 62, good | 7 ft12 shollow | 1,467kJ | offshorewind from the east-south-east, 19 knots, offshore | 22°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 65, good | 8 ft11 shollow | 1,641kJ | offshorewind from the east-south-east, 19 knots, offshore | 22°C |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for expert surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly ORD to RAR, changing at HNL, then 20 min by road. About 22h 50 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Black Rock
Best 07:00 to 10:00 local time: 7 ft at 9 s, offshore wind.
- Wed 21 OctSurf Black Rock
Best 16:00 to 19:00 local time: 8 ft at 10 s, offshore wind.
- Thu 22 OctSurf Black Rock
Best 07:00 to 10:00 local time: 8 ft at 10 s, offshore wind.
- Fri 23 OctSurf Black Rock
Best 07:00 to 10:00 local time: 8 ft at 11 s, offshore wind.
- Sat 24 OctSurf Black Rock
Best 16:00 to 19:00 local time: 8 ft at 10 s, offshore wind.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to RAR, changing at HNL, then 20 min by road. About 22h 50 door to door
The plan picks the best of 2 spots near Avarua each day: Ava avarua, Black Rock.
Rough cost
About £1,020–£1,985 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to RAR, estimated from distance and season, changing at HNL, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £585–£1,220 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | £15–£25 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £165–£280 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £155–£290 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £65–£105 |
| Total | £1,020–£1,985 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
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