Regionally Significant Surf breaks in the Greater Wellington Region Prepared for: eCoast Marine Consulting and Research Po Box 151 Raglan New Zealand +64 7 825 0087 [email protected] GWRC Significant Surf Breaks Regionally Significant Surf breaks in the Greater Wellington Region Report Status Version Date Status Approved By: V 1 4 Dec ember 201 4 Final Draft STM V 2 5 February 2015 Rev 1 STM V 3 22 May 2015 Rev 2 EAA It is the responsibility of the reader to verify the currency of the version number of this report. Ed Atkin HND, MSc (Hons) Michael Gunson Shaw Mead BSc, MSc (Hons), PhD Cover page: Surfers entering the water at Lyall Bay, Wellington’s best known and most frequently surfed beach. Photo Michael Gunson The information, including the intellectual property, contained in this report is confidential and proprietary to eCoast Limited. It may be used by the persons to whom it is provided for the stated purpose for which it is provided, and must not be imparted to any third person without the prior written approval of eCoast. eCoast Limited reserves all legal rights and remedies in relation to any infringement of its rights in respect of its confidential information. © eCoast Limited 2015 GWRC Significant Surf Breaks Contents CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................................................ I LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................................. IV GLOSSARY OF TERMS ..................................................................................................................................... VI 1 BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................................................ 1 2 METHODS ............................................................................................................................................. 12 2.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................... 12 2.2 CHARACTERISATION OF REGIONALLY SIGNIFICANT SURF BREAKS IN THE WELLINGTON REGION .................................... 12 2.2.1 Rationale ....................................................................................................................................... 12 2.2.2 Identification – Mapping............................................................................................................... 13 2.2.3 Characterisation............................................................................................................................ 13 2.3 DETERMINATION OF SWELL CORRIDORS ........................................................................................................... 14 2.4 RISK ASSESSMENT ....................................................................................................................................... 19 3 WELLINGTON REGION SURF BREAK IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERISATION ................................... 21 3.1 SLIPPERIES ................................................................................................................................................. 21 3.2 CASTLEPOINT - MAIN BEACH ......................................................................................................................... 22 3.3 THE GAP .................................................................................................................................................... 22 3.4 CHRISTMAS BAY .......................................................................................................................................... 23 3.5 RIVERSDALE - MAIN BEACH ........................................................................................................................... 24 3.6 URUTI POINT .............................................................................................................................................. 24 3.7 STONY BAY ................................................................................................................................................ 25 3.8 TORA PIT ................................................................................................................................................... 26 3.9 TORA STREAM ............................................................................................................................................ 26 3.10 TORA TORA ........................................................................................................................................... 27 3.11 TOILET BOWLS ....................................................................................................................................... 28 3.12 SHIPWRECKS .......................................................................................................................................... 28 3.13 GOD SQUAD .......................................................................................................................................... 29 3.14 GNARLIES .............................................................................................................................................. 29 I GWRC Significant Surf Breaks 3.15 DOLPHIN BAY ........................................................................................................................................ 30 3.16 WHITE ROCK POINT ................................................................................................................................ 30 3.17 THE SPIT ............................................................................................................................................... 31 3.18 SECONDS .............................................................................................................................................. 32 3.19 THE DESERT .......................................................................................................................................... 32 3.20 SCHNAPPES ........................................................................................................................................... 33 3.21 WINDIES /N O.4 ...................................................................................................................................... 34 3.22 NING NONGS ......................................................................................................................................... 34 3.23 DEE DEES .............................................................................................................................................. 36 3.24 OTAKAHA STREAM .................................................................................................................................. 37 3.25 HUMENGA LODGE .................................................................................................................................. 37 3.26 PARARAKI STREAM .................................................................................................................................. 38 3.27 HUMENGA POINT ................................................................................................................................... 39 3.28 WHATARANGI POINT /B OMBIE .................................................................................................................. 39 3.29 WHATARANGI BAY BOMBIE ...................................................................................................................... 40 3.30 WHATARANGI STATION ........................................................................................................................... 41 3.31 BATCHES ............................................................................................................................................... 41 3.32 LAKE FERRY ........................................................................................................................................... 42 3.33 WAINUIOMATA RIVER ............................................................................................................................. 43 3.34 DRIBBLES .............................................................................................................................................. 43 3.35 ORONGORONGO RIVER ............................................................................................................................ 44 3.36 PIPES ................................................................................................................................................... 44 3.37 BUTTERFISH ROCK .................................................................................................................................. 45 3.38 PROPELLORS .......................................................................................................................................... 46 3.39 MOA POINT .......................................................................................................................................... 47 3.40 AIRPORT RIGHTS .................................................................................................................................... 47 3.41 LYALL BAY ............................................................................................................................................