Pipikaretu

📍 Local Knowledge

Pipikaretu on the Otago Peninsula is a reasonably exposed beach and point break with quite reliable surf that can be surfed year-round. The best surf occurs with an east-southeast swell and offshore winds from the southwest, with some shelter from west winds, typically during winter—most often in August—when clean, rideable waves are most consistent. Windswells and groundswells are equally likely, the beach produces both lefts and rights, and it works best around high tide on a rising tide. Even when it’s breaking, the spot is rarely crowded, but surfers should be cautious of rocks and the potential presence of sharks.