Black Rock, Cook Islands
Also within 20 km of Avarua
- Tupis Passage Dive site · 1.5 km from Avarua
- Dianas Ridge Dive site · 3 km from Avarua
- Avaavaroa Passage Dive site · 4.7 km from Avarua
- Ava avarua Surf spot · 5.9 km from Avarua
- Arbuthnotts Dive site · 6.3 km from Avarua
Watch this spot We email you when Black Rock is worth the trip.
About Black Rock
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces NW (310°), so it takes swell from the NW. The wind blows offshore from the SE (130°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 4–17 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves steeply: 10 m deep about 150 m out (1 in 13). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 25°C in July, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 28°C in February, its warmest (no wetsuit). The town to stay in is Avarua, 3.1 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 6 dive sites.
Water about 25°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Saved: this link opens the same trip
The link holds the trip itself: nothing about you is kept. Check the forecast again before you book.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 22 h 50 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to RAR, changing at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL).
See flights ORD → RAR · Skyscanner from about £585 returnAdGetting there. 20 min from the airport to Black Rock.
Accommodation.
Stay in AvaruaAd
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 Avarua (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Avarua 5 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 5 places to stay · where Black Rock stays
Places to stay in Avarua · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Avarua · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Avarua · GetYourGuideAd
Budget 
Mid-range 
Luxury Where it is
Black Rock on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for intermediates | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 22, too small | 4 ft9 shollow | 233kJ | offshorewind from the south-east, 18 knots, offshore | 24°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 0, too big | 6 ft9 shollow | 532kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 20 knots | 22°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 0, too big | 7 ft9 shollow | 820kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 12 knots | 21°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 0, too big | 7 ft10 shollow | 904kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 14 knots | 22°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 0, too big | 8 ft10 shollow | 1,239kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 13 knots | 22°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 0, too big | 8 ft11 shollow | 1,410kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 15 knots | 22°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 0, too big | 7 ft9 shollow | 729kJ | wind from the south-east, 18 knots | 22°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 0, too big | 9 ft11 shollow | 1,914kJ | wind from the south-east, 14 knots | 22°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 0, too big | 8 ft11 shollow | 1,407kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 18 knots | 22°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 0, too big | 8 ft11 shollow | 1,641kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 19 knots | 22°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 ORD to RAR, changing at HNL, then 20 min by road. About 22h 50 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to RAR, changing at HNL, then 20 min by road. About 22h 50 door to door
The plan picks the best of 2 spots near Avarua each day: Ava avarua, Black Rock.
Rough cost
About £1,020–£1,985 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 ORD to RAR, estimated from distance and season, changing at HNL, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £585–£1,220 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | £15–£25 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £165–£280 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £155–£290 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £65–£105 |
| Total | £1,020–£1,985 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.