Dunedin Surfing

Otago and Southland offer some of the most challenging and rewarding surf breaks to be found anywhere in the country. Swells can get huge and it's no wonder that the Rex Von Huben memorial Big Wave contest is held here, usually in October and attracting a hard-core of the country's best to celebrate the life of a legendary Dunedin local. Over the decades, Dunedin surfers have gained recognition as chargers and Papatowai is not the official tow-in break in New Zealand. North Otago spots are rare because good NE swells don't quite break often but when they do, those points like Murderers give wordclass surfing.