Raglan - Whale Bay.

Whale Bay is the middle of Raglan's celebrated trio of left-hand point breaks on New Zealand's Waikato Coast, sitting between the world-famous Manu Bay to the south and Indicators to the north. While often considered the lesser of the three, Whale Bay earns its place in the rotation - particularly at smaller swells when the wave pitches hard off the headland boulders and produces punchy, hollow sections that reward committed surfing. On bigger days the wall tends to soften and lose steepness, though a more westerly to north-westerly swell angle can trigger barrelling conditions over the boulder reef. The wave breaks as a long left, capable of 200 to 500 metres of rideable wall depending on swell size and direction, with both performance sections and the occasional proper tube on offer. Incoming tide is preferred by most locals, helping the wave maintain shape across the boulder shelf. The jump-off from the rocks requires care - timing is critical and submerged obstacles can appear without warning. Rips and sharks are present, consistent with the wider Raglan area. The crowd is lighter than Manu Bay, making it a genuine intermediate option in the Raglan lineup, though respect for locals remains essential. Best from 2 to 3.7m on SW to NW groundswell with a clean south-easterly offshore.

Punchy hollow sections off the headland boulders between Raglan's famous breaks.