new zealand

[sandpiper]

hey i'm moving to the north island of new zealand in the near future. I'm pretty sure that all i'll need rubber wise is a 3/2 with boots but i'm not sure. Any tips or advice will be greatly appreciated. thanks.

[RJD]

Hi, where abouts on the north island? Wellington is a different, and colder, kettle of foosh to gisy or northland etc...

I'm on the south island and just moved into my 3/2 with boots from 4/3,boots,gloves, waters about 12-13 degrees, lot colder than p north.

[sandpiper]

i am staying in wellington for about the first week. i have a place to stay until i purchase a vehicle. then i plan on traveling the whole north island and find a place and work. I plan on taking a 3/2 with 3mm boots and a 4/3 with a hood. Are gloves ever necessary?

[Hang11]

In a month or so, you shouldn't need gloves anywhere on the North Island. Wellington can get pretty cold in winter though.

head north to the naki

Most spots from the middle of the north island up only really need a spring suit when summer kicks in. worth having some boots for reefs etc though.

South Island, where I live, can get seriously cold in winter. I'm right at the bottom of the island, and the only way I would surf between May and October is if I had internal genitals and the sort of wetsuit that hasn't been invented yet. It's fine once spring/summer comes though, but you really need a 4/3 for early mornings.

But I'm a bit of tart, a lot of people do surf all year.

[RJD]

I'm no longer wearing gloves and am on the south island, wouldnt expect you will need that 4/3, hood or gloves.

As said, boots are still handy regardless of temp.

[Supafly]

Yea, i've lost my hood (never had gloves) and i surf down in Dunedin (South Island). My 4/3, hood and booties were all i needed during winter although i could not surf for longer than an hour and a half :S

[sandpiper]

thank you so much guys. All the advice is greatly appreciated. From what i've seen [googling] the water temps seem to range from lower 50s to lower 70s. all around the north island. any truth to that? i plan on traveling the north island, starting in wellington and moving north, and looking for a cool surf town where i could find a job. If anyone knows of a cool town with a wave and work i'm all ears.

[Hang11]

Try looking at Tauranga, Gisborne or New Plymouth. All fairly big (by NZ standards) towns, with good waves nearby.

Why only the North Island? You would be missing some of the best bits of NZ if you didn't go South.

[sandpiper]

Well, i'm not trying to limit myself to the north island. My girlfriends sister lives in Wellington. We will be going there first. Being that it will be summer when we arrive i think i want to go north and enjoy some warmer water while it lasts. But i'm sure we will travel to the south at some point.

[Hang11]

North isn't necessarily warmer than South, it's more like the east coasts of both islands are warmer than the west coasts, but it does get warmer up the top of the north island.

The hottest places in summer are generally on the south island though, just a few hours from any decent waves

[sandpiper]

really? see i had no idea. well i certainly have lots 2 learn about both islands.

[Brent]

Goodness there is some mis-information out there.
Firstly, the Tasman & Pacific on each side of New Zealand are pretty much equal temperature wise most of the year - relative to the latitude you're at of course. I cannot feel any difference and I often surf both seas on the same day (dawnie at Raglan & afternoon surf back home at the Mount for example).

Look at a map of NZ, there are three defined temp zones in my opinion, the south island has cold water all year round varying only several degrees all year round, a modern sealed 4/3 most of the year will do with booties & hood in spring & autumn, and gloves in winter. Depending on the wind. Some wear a wetsuit vest to add rubber as well in deep winter.

From South Island northward to a latitude line through about Rotorua a modern 3/2 will do, with the above accessories in the winter if you feel the cold. In summer a full 3/2 will be easily too warm for most people. 2mm shortsleeved, long-leg springsuit easily does me.

Northward of Rotorua a modern 3/2 will be comfortable in winter, some wear booties, and some wear a hood - but only if it's a real cold wind. In spring & autumn a short sleeved long leg 2mm springsuit sees me quite comfortable, from December to April I usually paddle out with no wetsuit and then depending on the wind pop in to put on a 2mm wetsuit top to complete the session after about an hour...

So that's my qualified 2cents worth - I surf all over NZ from Dunedin to top of Northland on a regular basis. Hope that's of use.

[RJD]

So, mr expert, your saying you need a 4/3 on the south island, all year round? Yeah riiight..