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Blue Tops, New Zealand

Stay in Mosgiel: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Mosgiel

Watch this spot We email you when Blue Tops is worth the trip.

About Blue Tops

Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.

The spot faces SE (130°), so it takes swell from the SE. The wind blows offshore from the NW (310°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–13 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 450 m out (1 in 46). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 10°C in August, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 15°C in February, its warmest (4/3 wetsuit and boots). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually May, June, July and August, with about 2 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Mosgiel.

Water about 11°C: 4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves. 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 29 h 55 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to DUD, changing at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Auckland International Airport (AKL).

    See flights MDW → DUD · Skyscanner from about £780 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 30 min from the airport to Blue Tops.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Nearest beds: Mosgiel, 14 km (about 25 min by car)Ad

    No town with beds to book is nearer Blue Tops: plan on the drive each day you surf.

    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 Mosgiel, 14 km away on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Surf lessons in Mosgiel · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Mosgiel · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Blue Tops on Google Maps · Directions

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Forecast

Blue Tops does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.

The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small

DayScoreInter­mediateSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct136 ft8 ssoft359kJ16°C
Mon 19Oct405 ft9 ssoft289kJ16°C
Tue 20Oct235 ft8 smushy265kJ13°C
Wed 21Oct394 ft8 smushy146kJ17°C
Thu 22Oct274 ft6 smushy97kJ17°C
Fri 23Oct414 ft8 ssoft222kJ15°C
Sat 24Oct383 ft8 ssoft150kJ14°C
Sun 25Oct323 ft11 scrumbling171kJ19°C
Mon 26Oct202 ft5 smushy24kJ20°C
Tue 27Oct236 ft6 smushy234kJ13°C
Wed 28Oct233 ft7 smushy58kJ14°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 intermediate surfers. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Fly MDW to DUD, changing at DFW and AKL, then 30 min by road. About 29h 55 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Blue Tops

    Best 19:00 to 22:00 local time: 5 ft at 8 s, wind 5 kn (10 km/h).

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf Blue Tops

    Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, offshore wind.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf Blue Tops

    Best 19:00 to 22:00 local time: 4 ft at 6 s, wind 11 kn (21 km/h).

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Surf Blue Tops

    Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, wind 4 kn (7 km/h).

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Surf Blue Tops

    Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 3 ft at 8 s, wind 4 kn (8 km/h).

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Fly MDW to DUD, changing at DFW and AKL, then 30 min by road. About 29h 55 door to door

The trip from Mosgiel, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £1,385–£2,675 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.

WhatHow we worked it outEach
Flightsreturn MDW to DUD, estimated from distance and season, changing at DFW and AKL, full-service airlines, with a hold bag£780–£1,615
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Taxiairport and back, shared£15–£25
Stay6 nights, a mid-range double, shared£225–£375
Food7 days eating out£230–£430
Board and wetsuit5 days, or about £85 to fly your own£100–£165
Total£1,385–£2,675

Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.

Places to eat near Mosgiel

Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Nearest beds: Mosgiel, 14 km (about 25 min by car) · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.