Surfing Waves

Currently I live in the very land-locked state of Tennessee where the probability of surfing is about the same as a dog turning into a cat. However there is hope in sight as I'm going to New Zealand next year (Wellington to be exact).

I've heard Lyall Bay is the place to go for surf around the Wellington area. However, I'm going for the second semester at Massey University and that lands in July - right smack in the middle of a kiwi winter! That leads me to a couple questions....

1.) The average high would be around 51 and low around 43, no doubt putting the water under 60 degrees. Is there a real risk of hypothermia if the body is not properly conditioned?

2.) That brings me to my main point - I'm working out what conditioning I need to do before I leave. Thankfully I have a little less than a year to gear up for it, but I'm not sure where to start. I tried asking some local aquatics staff about it and they just looked at me blankly saying, "um...swim?" I figured on that much....so, what conditioning would you recommend?

3.) For the NZ waters, would a 5/3mm wetsuit be adequate? And would booties be necessary or no?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

You'll be fine in winter with a 5/3 boots and gloves. I'm not sure what training you could do for cold water, you just have to harden up and get used to it.

The risk of hypothermia is greater in the houses - insulation and heating isn't something that's really taken off in New Zealand. And Wellington gets cold and windy in the winter.

Lyall Bay is a really popular spot, but there's loads of others around there, and further up the East Coast in the Wairarapa.

I'm not as concerned with housing. With some of the nasty winters around Tennessee (with single digits and 20 degree temperatures), I've mastered the art of layering. I wear a dancer's version of a wetsuit under my clothes that tends to keep my well-insulated.

I'm also a little girl (5'8" and 110 lbs) so I tend to feel the cold pretty easily. I'm trying to figure out how to toughen up to that, but so far no luck as far as water is concerned.

How far is the Wairarapa from Wellington? I think I'll be staying around Martin Square and Taranaki Street. But since I'll be an exchange student I won't have a car. So I'll either have to rely on public transportation or some kind friends. (Hence why I'm trying to look for surf as close to home base as possible)

The Wairarapa is a bit of a drive, you have to get over the hills behind Wellington. There's good waves there. If you're at university, there will be heaps of people heading off to get some waves from there.

Have a look at www.surf.co.nz - they have a beach guide on there somewhere.

Fantastic! I'll have to look to see if Massey has a surf club.

I've talked with a couple other New Zealanders and they've recommended 4/3mm wetsuits. You mentioned 5/3mm. What would be your pros and cons for either one?

5/3 - toasty warm in the winter - way too hot for summer and more restrictive

4/3 - good all rounder, bit cold in the middle of winter, bit warm in summer, less restrictive.

But, a good 4/3 will be better than a crap 5/3

I wear a 4/3 and I'm on the South Island, where it's a fair bit colder. On the real cold days I can last an hour or so, depending on how heavy the waves are, but to be honest, it doesn't get that cold too often. The really cold bit of winter in NZ is short lived. Mid winter is July, three weeks into august and it's about 20 degrees again if the sun's out, but in June/July it can get down to 8 degree water temperatures and below freezing air temps.

A good 4/3 would be the way to go, and maybe a 1mm polypro vest under it for the real cold days.

Like I told RJD, I'm an itty bitty little girl at 5'8" and 112 lbs. I feel every wind and chill of cold that whips by. I'll get chills just from jumping in the water in 80 degree weather!

Speaking of which, is there any way to get the body used to colder waters? It would be a real shock to my system to go from 80-90 degree weather and corresponding waters to the cold waters of Wellington. (I'll be there from July through November)

Hm...could you get a good 4/3 or 5/3 for $100-150 USD?

Island Bri wrote:Speaking of which, is there any way to get the body used to colder waters? It would be a real shock to my system to go from 80-90 degree weather and corresponding waters to the cold waters of Wellington. (I'll be there from July through November)

To be honest, I don't know how you get yourself used to cold water - I've always surfed in cold water. I guess the best thing would be to just go surfing in it when you get to NZ. Being fit would obviously help.

Make sure you buy a good wetsuit, that is a good fit. That's crucial to staying warm, if it's too loose, or poor quality, then you'll feel it. In a good seam sealed 4/3 with decent boots and gloves, you won't really feel the water temp anyway for a while, apart from on your head/neck/face.

Slight cross posting going on.

https://surfing-waves.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9937

Sorry RJD, both questions sort of coincide with each other, hence asking them twice. But I didn't mean to step on any forum rules. My apologies!

Hang11 - Eh, I figured that. I guess I'll just have to go jump in some nice frigid Tennessee water come January.

Being fit shouldn't be too much of an issue. I dance, fence, swordfight, and do martial arts.

Island Bri wrote:I dance, fence, swordfight, and do martial arts.

So will any of that help against sharks?

Island Bri wrote: I wear a dancer's version of a wetsuit under my clothes

Like a frilly shortie?

RJD - You better believe it.

Drowningbitbybit - I meant a dance leotard, not a tutu! That would be rather strange to wear under clothes, I would imagine.

I had a lesson off Dougie Young in sumner, christchurch in june temperature was 16 degrees, he gave me a 5/3 with hood, boots and gloves and i was fine, at one pint i had to take the hood off because i was hot! the waves were 1-2 ft even better some days but this is the south island, dont really know about the north island. You should be fine with a full wettie with hood. just bite the bullet and take it like a man, it will be a good experience.

Dougie Young - legend.

The weather is variable on the South Island, and in Wellignton - depends on what way the wind is blowing - if it's a Southerly, it's straight off the Antarctic, North and it's off the warm Pacific. It can be 20 degrees in mid winter, and drop by 15 degrees in 2 hours if the wind swings round, and in June, easily get below freezing. Factor in all the big rivers down the East Coast of the South Island, which put out ice cold water from the mountains everywhere, and you can get air and water temperatures that can make your plums go into hiding for a couple of weeks.

Hang11 wrote:You'll be fine in winter with a 5/3 boots and gloves. I'm not sure what training you could do for cold water, you just have to harden up and get used to it.

The risk of hypothermia is greater in the houses - insulation and heating isn't something that's really taken off in New Zealand. And Wellington gets cold and windy in the winter.

Lyall Bay is a really popular spot, but there's loads of others around there, and further up the East Coast in the Wairarapa.

that is sooo true, lol. staying with my sister in the morning i was able to see my own breath in the house it was that cold, and there was me kayaking in the sea in a shortie wetsuit.

as for the exercises, you got to be joking when is the water ever warm? even in the good old us of a the water still gets cold simple as.

Brummie - "Take it like a man...." HA! As a girl, I'll take that challenge!

Where is Christchurch? Is that on the South or Northern Island? (My knowledge of NZ geography is rather limited at this point. I'm working on printing off some maps as I type)

Also, for surfing in NZ is it best to go to a surf school (which as of yet, I've found none in Wellington) or a private instructor?

Mm...true. However I'm more used to pool water than seawater (there's no sea anywhere around me), so the water tends to be warmer. Sounds like I need to have a few buddies of mine dunk me in the lake come January. That should be cold!

I know this is a really silly question, but how in the world do you stay on the board in boots and not slide off? Is there traction on the boots or is it all just a matter of balance?

Hang11 - Oof, those temperatures sound like Tennessee. We have a saying up here of "Wait 20 minutes and the weather will change."

Island Bri wrote:Brummie - "Take it like a man...." HA! As a girl, I'll take that challenge! "

Uh that could be missunderstood..

Christchurch is 1/3rd of the way down the east coast of the south island, has 3 ruddy great extinct volcanoes south of it seaward sheltering it from the cold and the good southerly swells.

There will be surf schools in Welly, dont worry, worth going out with them a few times befoe you get your own gear, they'll use foamie boards that arnt 'real' surfboards but will get you to your feet.

Boots - usualy quite grippy, mine are def more grippy than my naked feet.

RJD wrote:

Island Bri wrote:Brummie - "Take it like a man...." HA! As a girl, I'll take that challenge! "

Uh that could be missunderstood....

Call me naive, but I'm confused....oh well, it's probably best I don't delve.

My plan was to condition here in the states first (I started Monday with swimming laps, breathing exercises (I didn't realise my lungs were so weak!), and kickboard work. I'm going to continue buidling up strength and endurance for swimming, then when in Wellington get some basic lessons in surfing.