This place is worth a try if the surf is too small for the usual spot further north to work. It is suitable for all experience levels, though it can be fickle and predicting when it is going to break needs you to keep a close eye on the weather forecasts.
The beach is pretty quiet and secluded with plenty of clean white sand and a lot of grassland behind it. Access here is easiest if you park up in north Whananaki and head across the footbridge then walk south-east to the beach.
The swell here will start working at less than 1 m and hold up to about 1.5 or 2 m, and for it to do anything at all the wind needs to be coming from the north-west or the west and the swell coming from the south-east or the east. When this happens it does work at all tide positions and on both rising and falling tides. It is a fairly standard beach break, both right and left, and the waves are fairly ordinary in terms of speed and power but are still fun. The length of the wave is about average here and you can expect something between 100 and 150 m.
There is nothing around here apart from a few farm buildings. The land is private but if you ask nicely the farmers don't mind you camping here. Apart from that there is a resort back across the estuary to the north if you want somewhere to stay, and you'll also find a couple of places to eat and drink too.
The water is about as safe as you can get, and your only hazard is getting to the beach as you might have to walk through a herd of crowds.
