Surf spot guide · Otago & Southland, New Zealand
Dunedin beachbreak for small swells, with a left that sets up reliably in the east corner; plenty of rips and a crowd when it's working.
Smails Beach is a compact Dunedin beachbreak suited to small S swells, sitting east of the main St Clair-St Kilda stretch on the Otago Peninsula side. The spot has an established left in the east corner that provides a defined section when the rest of the beach is closing out or sectioning. Multiple rips run across the beach and serve as both a paddle-out channel and a hazard, depending on how you read them. NE winds are offshore and produce the cleanest conditions. Low to mid tide is the target - higher water fills in the banks and the wave loses definition. Size range is modest at 2 to 1.8m, and it is a good wave when conditions align. The proximity to Dunedin and the limited number of quality options means surfers converge quickly when it's on. The Dunedin Peninsula coastline offers additional options nearby at Tomahawk and beyond.
Left-hander holds shape in Smails' east corner when the beach closes out everywhere else.
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Often crowded when on. Proximity to Dunedin and limited options draw quick crowds.
Compact Dunedin beachie
Otago & Southland
Hub of Dunedin surfing — quality beachbreak peaks plus a long right point near the hot pools on big S swells.
Otago & Southland
Average beachie requiring a long sandhills hike — best on small swell at low tide. Yellow Eye Penguin reserve.
Otago & Southland
S swell bends around a rock island into workable walls with a hollow takeoff — beachbreak gets epic with anchored sandbanks.
+4 MORE →Left in east corner is the go-to. Low-mid tide. Lots of rips — read them before paddling out. Small S swells only.
HAZARDS · KNOW BEFORE YOU PADDLE
Free roadside parking available. No facilities on site. Can get crowded when conditions are good.
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