WHERE TO SURF> Below is a listing of some but not all of Nelson's surf Breaks

1: Ruby Bay - Take State Highway 60 and 27km Northwest of Nelson here you will find Ruby Bay. Following the "McKees Domain" campground road you will find a mellow lefthand point break with occasional right handers breaking back toward the rocks. A patchy rock and sand bottom and an extremely user friendly wave offers surfers of all levels, especially beginners the perfect chance to improve their skills. Ruby Bay is best in westerly winds and breaks best in solid groundswells as opposed to windswells and prefers a mid-incoming tide.

2: Rabbit Island - Halfway between Ruby Bay and Nelson is the stretch of beach on a sand island known as Rabbit Island. This beach picks up the most swell in Nelson and is perfect for surfers of all levels with a soft sand bottom making it an absolute playground for surfers and swimmers alike. Best in a south to southwest wind and along with Ruby Bay prefers a mid-incoming tide.

3: Tahunanui Beach - Located right in the centre of Nelson, Tahunanui beach is a popular beach for swimmers and kiteboarders and in large swells can also be an interesting option for surf. There are two places to surf on the beach these being in the corner against Rocks Road where a rebound righthand peak may actually give you surprise power boost! and the Tahunanui Spit end of the beach where a soft lefthand peak offers perfect Malibu style waves. Both of these waves preffering mid to high tides on both incoming and outgoing. Tahunanui beach is also a great gauge for judging conditions at other breaks.

4: The Cut - The cut is a wave for the more experienced surfer. Ultimately challenging The Cut consists of two different breaks, Ïnside Cut"" and "TheCut." - The cut is best at lowtide and features a big scary peak, super fast drop then eventually morphs into deep water. VERY STRONG RIPS. - The "Inside Cut" works on higher tides featuring a wedgey fast jacking takeoff then barrel section. Both of these waves require extreme care and access is best by boat or kayak as the 1km paddle is extremely dangerous ,Nelson is actually the 2nd busiest port in New Zealand. Watch out for Ships and Boats because if your in the way, they wont see you.

5: Little Rincon/The Lighthouse - Little Rincon, so named after the famous wave in California, needs a lined up cyclone swell to work. In optimum conditions can break for over 1km. Once again, access by boat or kayak is your best option. The Lighthouse is further up the point from Little Rincon and basically relies on similar conditions to Little Rincon. Alas in optimum conditions the two breaks become one hence the 1km rides!!

6: Schnappers Point - Take Highway 6 Norhteast of Nelson for 7km and following "Boulder Bank"drive and your nose, you will find the Local sewerage oxidisation ponds!, A rickety old road will lead you to Nelsons busiest and most popular surfbreak. technically not a pointbreak but a triangular shaped reef it offers right and lefthand peaks. This break gets extremely crowded and a level head is needed and Shnappers breaks on most tides except high. Not the best place for beginners as the hustle and bustle may actually deter you from surfing alltogether!

7: The Glen - Five minutes north of Schnappers point is the end of the boulder bank and a spot known as "The Glen". Breaking extremely close to the rocks and although looking friendly The Glen is actually one of the more dangerous waves in Nelson with random shelves of rock waiting to bruise the unwary. The Glen needs a little more swell to break and is best on lower tides.

8: Cable Bay - Cable Bay is by far the most dangerous break in Nelson featuring a lefthand pointbreak with waves breaking incredibly close to the rocks. Extreme caution is recommended as there is no room for error.

9: Delaware Bay - Nearby to Cable Bay, "Delaware Bay" consists of a beach and rivermouth setup. Incredibly fickle and plagued by tidal currents Delaware is a hard one to catch! Also, accessing the break can be a nightmare once the estuary becomes full but sometimes the effort made may be reward gained......

10: Whangamoa Bar - A semi secret somewhat mythological surf break east of Delaware. Access is through the Hori Bay road which is often closed due to forestry work. Whangamoa often recieves swell that Nelson does not.