Surf spot guide · Auckland & Coromandel, New Zealand
Sheltered North Shore reef with a-frame peaks that fires on rare NE swells, best on outgoing tide below Cliff Rd.
Long Bay sits along Auckland's North Shore in the Torbay suburb, spread across a regional park with several peaks along a sandy shoreline. Most of the beach delivers inconsistent, low-grade straighthanders that rarely connect, but the real draw is the southern end below Cliff Road where a submerged rock ledge meeting sand creates an a-frame peak capable of genuine lefts and rights. The reef only switches on during solid NE swells - a relatively uncommon alignment on this sheltered east-facing stretch - but when those conditions arrive alongside a southwest wind, the wave becomes something worth the effort. The outgoing tide is the sweet spot: water dropping exposes the shallow section just enough to produce a wedging face in the 2 to 1.8m range. Wave lengths are short, rarely exceeding 50 metres, but the rides are playful and accessible. Because the break is so swell-specific, it stays quiet most of the year. When a legitimate NE window opens, however, locals who watch the forecast arrive promptly. The shallow rock ledge underfoot demands awareness, particularly at lower tide stages.
A-frame peak that wakes only on rare NE swells, worth the forecast watch.
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Mostly empty given low consistency, but when NE swell shows the local crew materialises fast. Manageable on all but the rarest days.
Rare gem, knowing locals
Auckland & Coromandel
Reef-anchored peaks at Milford's southern end — lefts and rights that hold shape when NE swell lines up.
Auckland & Coromandel
Shallow North Shore reef just north of Takapuna boat ramp — quick steep drops and cover-ups at low tide only.
Auckland & Coromandel
Auckland's North Shore reef — peaks up by the boat ramp with a right shoulder and a shallow spinning left. Always packed.
+3 MORE →Only NE groundswell above 1.5m activates southern reef. Fish outgoing tide for best shape. Watch for shallow rocks near low tide. Park on Cliff Rd.
HAZARDS · KNOW BEFORE YOU PADDLE
Rock ledge bottom with uneven sections
