Whananaki rivermouth, New Zealand
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About Whananaki rivermouth
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces E (101°), so it takes swell from the E. The wind blows offshore from the W (281°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–12 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 16°C in July, its coldest month (3/2 wetsuit), and 22°C in February, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually January, February, March and April, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Whangārei Heads. Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.
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 28 h 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. 3 h 15 from the airport to Whananaki rivermouth.
Accommodation.
Nearest beds: Whangārei Heads, 34 km (about 1h 00 by car)Ad
No town with beds to book is nearer Whananaki rivermouth: 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 Whangārei Heads, 34 km away (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Whangārei Heads 60 min by car · rooms from £85 a night · 2 places to stay · where Whananaki rivermouth stays
Places to stay in Whangārei Heads · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Whangārei Heads · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Whangārei Heads · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Whananaki rivermouth on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for experts | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 13, too small | 3 ft7 smushy | 62kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 3 knots | 18°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 12, too small | 2 ft6 smushy | 32kJ | wind from the south, 3 knots | 19°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 8, too small | 2 ft6 smushy | 14kJ | wind from the east, 3 knots | 18°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 4, too small | 1 ft8 ssoft | 14kJ | wind from the south-west, 8 knots | 18°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 5, too small | 1 ft9 ssoft | 18kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 8 knots | 18°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 5, too small | 1 ft7 smushy | 10kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 3 knots | 19°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 3, too small | 1 ft6 smushy | 5kJ | wind from the south, 4 knots | 18°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 3, too small | 1 ft10 s | 6kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 2 knots | 18°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 3, too small | 1 ft3 smushy | 2kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 11 knots | 19°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 5, too small | 2 ft6 smushy | 23kJ | offshorewind from the north-west, 11 knots, offshore | 21°C |
| Wed 28Oct | 10, too small | 2 ft5 smushy | 18kJ | offshorewind from the west-north-west, 8 knots, offshore | 19°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 expert surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly MDW to AKL, changing at DFW, then 3h 15 by road. About 28h door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to AKL, changing at DFW, then 3h 15 by road. About 28h 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.
Book the trip
Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.