Port Jackson, New Zealand
Also within 20 km of Port Jackson
- Waikawau Bay Surf spot · 19.3 km from Port Jackson
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About Port Jackson
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces NW (314°), so it takes swell from the NW. The wind blows offshore from the SE (134°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 4–17 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 500 m out (1 in 51). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 15°C in July, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 22°C in February, its warmest (2 mm shorty). The town to stay in is Port Jackson, 4.1 km away (about 10 min by car).
Water about 16°C: 3/2 wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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From Chicago: about 26 h 25 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. 1 h 40 from the airport to Port Jackson.
Accommodation.
Stay in Port JacksonAd
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 Port Jackson (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Port Jackson 7 min by car · rooms from £85 a night · where Port Jackson stays
Places to stay in Port Jackson · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Port Jackson · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Port Jackson · GetYourGuideAd
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Port Jackson on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Port Jackson 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 | 7, too small | 1 ft4 smushy | 6kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 1 knot | 15°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 4, too small | 1 ft5 smushy | 5kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 8 knots | 16°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 4, too small | 1 ft5 smushy | 3kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 4 knots | 16°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 2, too small | 1 ft4 smushy | 2kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 12 knots | 16°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 1, too small | under 1 ft7 s | 2kJ | wind from the south-west, 13 knots | 16°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 3, too small | 1 ft3 smushy | 1kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 7 knots | 17°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 2, too small | under 1 ft7 s | 1kJ | wind from the south-west, 4 knots | 16°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 3, too small | under 1 ft8 s | 3kJ | wind from the south-west, 2 knots | 16°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 1, too small | 1 ft5 s | 1kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 10 knots | 17°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 5, poor | 4 ft5 smushy | 74kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 19 knots | 17°C |
| Wed 28Oct | 18, too small | 3 ft5 smushy | 32kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 8 knots | 17°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 1h 40 by road. About 26h 25 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: under 1 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: 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 1h 40 by road. About 26h 25 door to door
Rough cost
About £1,430–£2,735 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 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £100–£170 |
| 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 | £1,430–£2,735 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
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Where to stayAd
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