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THE DUMP, New Zealand

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

Also within 20 km of Oamaru

Watch this spot We email you when THE DUMP is worth the trip.

About THE DUMP

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

The spot faces SE (116°), so it takes swell from the SE. The wind blows offshore from the NW (296°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–10 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very gently: 10 m deep about 1.3 km out (1 in 128). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 10°C in July, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 16°C in January, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually May, June, July and August, with about 2 good days in 7; in January, November and December, about 0. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Oamaru. Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.

Water about 12°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 30 h 10 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to CHC, changing at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

    See flights MDW → CHC · Skyscanner from about £765 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 4 h 15 from the airport to THE DUMP.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Nearest beds: Oamaru, 11 km (about 20 min by car)Ad

    THE DUMP 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 Oamaru, 11 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 Oamaru · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Oamaru · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

THE DUMP on Google Maps · Directions

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

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

DayScoreSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct504 ft9 ssoft226kJ17°C
Mon 19Oct273 ft8 ssoft91kJ18°C
Tue 20Oct393 ft8 smushy108kJ18°C
Wed 21Oct252 ft8 ssoft69kJ19°C
Thu 22Oct131 ft8 smushy20kJ22°C
Fri 23Oct272 ft9 ssoft99kJ22°C
Sat 24Oct142 ft8 ssoft49kJ19°C
Sun 25Oct101 ft10 ssoft25kJ23°C
Mon 26Oct92 ft5 smushy13kJ15°C
Tue 27Oct493 ft7 smushy88kJ24°C
Wed 28Oct252 ft7 smushy27kJ15°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 CHC, changing at SFO, then 4h 15 by road. About 30h 10 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Golf links

    Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 3 ft at 8 s, offshore wind.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf Golf links

    Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 2 ft at 8 s, offshore wind.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 1 ft at best.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Surf Golf links

    Best 19:00 to 22:00 local time: 2 ft at 9 s, wind 7 kn (14 km/h).

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 2 ft at best.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Fly MDW to CHC, changing at SFO, then 4h 15 by road. About 30h 10 door to door

The plan picks the best of 3 spots near Oamaru each day: Cross Roads, Golf links, THE DUMP.

The trip from Oamaru, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £1,455–£2,790 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 CHC, estimated from distance and season, changing at SFO, full-service airlines, with a hold bag£765–£1,585
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Hire car6 days, shared£100–£170
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£1,455–£2,790

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

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Nearest beds: Oamaru, 11 km (about 20 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.