Colac Bay.

Colac Bay is a remote beachbreak on the Southland coast near Riverton, combining a beginner-friendly sand-bottom setup with the walling right-hander at Nicks Point at the bay's southern end. The main beach produces A-frame peaks over a mix of uneven reef and sand, working across all tidal stages and handling swells from 1 to 2.4m. Nicks Point adds a more structured option for intermediate surfers - a walling right that needs at least 0.9m of swell to clear the rocky coastline and produce rideable walls of 50 to 100 metres. The best conditions arrive on S swell with a westerly offshore, though the wider S to W window means the bay picks up a reasonable range of Southern Ocean energy. The setting is genuinely remote and empty - solo surfing conditions are the norm. Sharks are present in these waters and submerged reef sections add consequence in the shallower areas, but rips and localism are not issues. Colac Bay is an honest, accessible wave in one of New Zealand's most isolated surfing regions - a genuine escape for those willing to make the journey south.

A-frames over sand where Nicks Point's right wall waits at the bay's far end.