Patea Rivermouth.

Patea Rivermouth sits at the mouth of the Patea River where two groynes channel swell into reliable A-frame peaks on a sand bottom. The southern groyne wall is the go-to section - it concentrates energy and offers partial shelter from cross-shore winds that would otherwise blow out the lineup. Despite holding the title of Southern Taranaki's most popular break, the sheer remoteness of the Patea coastline keeps the crowd count low even on solid swells. The wave itself is characteristically hollow and steep for a rivermouth, breaking with medium pace over well-covered sand. Faces best from SE through to NW swells with an optimal SW angle, and will hold through all stages of the tide, though incoming tide tends to produce the cleanest, most defined peaks. Size range sits comfortably between 2 and 2.4m before the beach section gets overpowered. Access is straightforward - walk dry off the rock walls with no paddle-out scramble required. The environment is raw Taranaki coast: sparse, windswept, and honest. Fishing lines dangling off the groynes are an ever-present hazard worth scanning before paddling near the walls. Rips channel along the groyne structures so beginners should stay aware of their position.

Two groynes funnel SE swells into hollow A-frames over sand, remote and uncrowded.