North Makarori Reef.

A wide, flat reef shelf at the northern tip of Makorori Beach produces a forgiving left that peels for up to 500 metres on the right swell. The wave wraps around the rocky point and breaks over a mix of uneven reef and sand, offering easy takeoffs and long, crumbly walls ideal for cutbacks and nose-riding. It picks up anything from northeast through to southerly swell, though a clean northeast pulse at lower tides is the sweet spot. Northerly or northwest winds keep the face clean, while southwest blows cross-shore and chops it up. The reef needs low to mid tide on the incoming push - too high and the wave fattens out across the shelf. Located one bay north of Wainui on the road towards Whangara, it draws a solid crew of Gisborne locals who know every section of the point. Both the north reef and the adjacent Makorori Point right attract committed regulars, so respect in the lineup goes a long way. The soft, slow character makes it one of the more accessible waves on the East Cape, equally suited to longboarders and improvers looking for long, unintimidating rides.

Half a kilometre of reef-wrapped left, crumbly walls from northeast swell at low tide.