Tahunanui Bar

📍 Local Knowledge

Tahunanui Bar in Nelson - Tasman Bay is an exposed sandbar break that only works once in a while and has no particular seasonal pattern. The best conditions occur when a North-northwest swell (a mix of groundswells and windswells) combines with an offshore wind direction from the South, though the spot has no shelter from cross-shore breezes and even light onshore winds will ruin the wave quality. The sandbar breaks primarily peel to the left and very rarely get crowded. Surfers should be aware that dangerous rips are a significant hazard here. The best time of year for consistent, clean waves is during the winter, particularly the month of June.