Diversion, New Zealand

No town nearby. No bookable town within 50 km: the nearest, Nelson, is 62 km away. Nearest airport: BHE (BHE), 16 km.

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About Diversion

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

The spot faces E (96°), so it takes swell from the E. The wind blows offshore from the W (276°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 4–18 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 800 m out (1 in 78). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 12°C in July, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 17°C in February, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). No town nearby. No bookable town within 50 km: the nearest, Nelson, is 62 km away. Nearest airport: BHE (BHE), 16 km.

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

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From Chicago: about 29 h 20 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to BHE, changing at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Auckland International Airport (AKL).
See flights MDW → BHE · Skyscanner from about £755 returnAd
Getting there. 35 min from the airport to Diversion.
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Accommodation.
No town nearby
No bookable town within 50 km: the nearest, Nelson, is 62 km away. Nearest airport: BHE (BHE), 16 km.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Diversion · GetYourGuideAd Board and wetsuit hire in Diversion · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Diversion on Google Maps · Directions

Surf spot

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Forecast

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

Forecast and score for intermediate surfers at Diversion, each day
Day	Score for intermediates	Swell	Energy	Wind	Temp
Sun 18Oct	11, too small	2 ft6 smushy	19kJ	wind from the east-south-east, 1 knot	13°C
Mon 19Oct	7, too small	1 ft7 smushy	13kJ	wind from the north-north-west, 5 knots	16°C
Tue 20Oct	5, too small	1 ft6 smushy	10kJ	wind from the north-north-west, 9 knots	15°C
Wed 21Oct	9, too small	1 ft5 smushy	8kJ	wind from the south-south-east, 2 knots	15°C
Thu 22Oct	9, too small	1 ft5 smushy	9kJ	wind from the south-south-west, 2 knots	17°C
Fri 23Oct	5, too small	1 ft5 smushy	4kJ	wind from the south-east, 1 knot	16°C
Sat 24Oct	12, too small	2 ft6 smushy	18kJ	wind from the north-north-west, 4 knots	21°C
Sun 25Oct	7, too small	2 ft4 smushy	9kJ	wind from the north-west, 8 knots, offshore	18°C
Mon 26Oct	4, too small	1 ft5 smushy	2kJ	wind from the north-west, 16 knots, offshore	18°C
Tue 27Oct	8, too small	2 ft3 smushy	4kJ	wind from the north-west, 17 knots, offshore	18°C
Wed 28Oct	5, too small	1 ft5 smushy	2kJ	wind from the north-west, 9 knots, offshore	14°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

Mon 19 Oct
Travel out
Fly MDW to BHE, changing at DFW and AKL, then 35 min by road. About 29h 20 door to door
Tue 20 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
Wed 21 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
Thu 22 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
Fri 23 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
Sat 24 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
Sun 25 Oct
Travel home
Fly MDW to BHE, changing at DFW and AKL, then 35 min by road. About 29h 20 door to door

Rough cost

About £1,150–£2,270 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book. No town nearby, so no stay is in it.

Rough cost per person for this trip
What	How we worked it out	Each
Flights	return MDW to BHE, estimated from distance and season, changing at DFW and AKL, full-service airlines, with a hold bag	£755–£1,565
To the UK airport	parking or the train, there and back	£35–£65
Taxi	airport and back, shared	£30–£45
Food	7 days eating out	£230–£430
Board and wetsuit	5 days, or about £85 to fly your own	£100–£165
Total		£1,150–£2,270

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

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Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

In the waterAd

Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit hire · GetYourGuide

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