O'niells reef, New Zealand
Also within 20 km of Auckland
- The Olympic Pools & Fitness Centre Dive site · 3.2 km from Auckland
- KZ1 Yacht Sailing spot · 3.9 km from Auckland
- Point Chevalier Sailing Club Kite spot · 4.2 km from Auckland
- Ponsonby Cruising Club Sailing spot · 4.2 km from Auckland
- Akarana Young Mariners Sailing spot · 6 km from Auckland
- Royal Akarana Yacht Club Sailing spot · 6.5 km from Auckland
- Manukau Cruising Club Sailing spot · 6.8 km from Auckland
- Shoal Bay Windsurfing Windsurf spot · 7.3 km from Auckland
Watch this spot We email you when O'niells reef is worth the trip.
About O'niells reef
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces NE (46°), so it takes swell from the NE. The wind blows offshore from the SW (226°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 4–15 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very gently: 10 m deep about 1.1 km out (1 in 111). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 14°C in August, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 22°C in February, its warmest (2 mm shorty). The town to stay in is Auckland. Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot and 2 wind sports spots.
Water about 16°C: 3/2 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 25 h 35 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Auckland International Airport (AKL), changing at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).
See flights MDW → AKL · Skyscanner from about £740 returnAdGetting there. 45 min from the airport to O'niells reef.
Accommodation.
Nearest beds: Auckland, 11 km (about 20 min by car)Ad
O'niells reef is 11 km from the beds: 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 Auckland, 11 km away (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Auckland 19 min by car · rooms from £85 a night · 27 places to stay · where O'niells reef stays
Places to stay in Auckland · Booking.com AdWhangaparāoa 31 min by car · rooms from £85 a night · 2 places to stay
Places to stay in Whangaparāoa · Booking.com AdOrewa 42 min by car · rooms from £85 a night · 9 places to stay
Places to stay in Orewa · Booking.com AdPiha 55 min by car · rooms from £85 a night · 2 places to stay
Places to stay in Piha · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Auckland · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Auckland · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
O'niells reef on Google Maps · Directions
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Live webcam
Lake Pupuke
Waiwharariki Anzac Square, 1 km away
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Forecast
O'niells reef 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
| Day | Scorefor Intermediate | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 1, too small | under 1 ft3 s | 0kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-west, 9 knots, offshore | 16°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 2, too small | under 1 ft4 s | 0kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-west, 9 knots, offshore | 17°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 1, too small | under 1 ft4 s | 0kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-west, 4 knots, offshore | 18°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 1, too small | under 1 ft3 s | 0kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-west, 10 knots, offshore | 17°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 1, too small | under 1 ft7 s | 0kJ | offshorewind from the south-west, 12 knots, offshore | 17°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 1, too small | under 1 ft2 s | 0kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 3 knots | 18°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 1, too small | under 1 ft5 s | 0kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-west, 8 knots, offshore | 18°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 2, too small | under 1 ft5 s | 0kJ | offshorewind from the west, 6 knots, offshore | 18°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 3, too small | 1 ft3 smushy | 1kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 6 knots | 19°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 6, too small | 1 ft5 smushy | 7kJ | wind from the north-west, 14 knots | 21°C |
| Wed 28Oct | 9, too small | 1 ft4 smushy | 3kJ | offshorewind from the west-south-west, 7 knots, offshore | 18°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 OctTravel out
Fly MDW to AKL, changing at DFW, then 45 min by road. About 25h 35 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: under 1 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: under 1 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: under 1 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: under 1 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: under 1 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to AKL, changing at DFW, then 45 min by road. About 25h 35 door to door
The plan picks the best of 2 spots near Auckland each day: O'niells reef, Takapuna.
Rough cost
About £1,375–£2,640 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 MDW to AKL, estimated from distance and season, changing at DFW, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £740–£1,530 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | £45–£75 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £225–£375 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £230–£430 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £100–£165 |
| Total | £1,375–£2,640 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Auckland
- Ciao belli pasta and pizzaItalian · 0.1 km from the centre
- Domino's Pizza KingslandPizza · 0.1 km from the centre
- Heritage Cuisine of IndiaIndian · 0.1 km from the centre
- Little IndiaIndian · 0.1 km from the centre
- Petra ShawarmaLebanese · 0.1 km from the centre
- @ BangkokThai · 0.2 km from the centre
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
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Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.