January 30th 2024: Lap of the south

We just drove 2400km in a circuitous loop of the top of the South Island as we made our way from Dunedin to Westport for the grom comp and 2024 Cape Classic surf contest – two of our favourites on the competition calendar.

I was photographing for another project (details coming soon), and so the Salty Slug and my family chugged all the way to Mārahau – a tidal bay at the very southern end of the Abel Tasman National Park. We had to chuckle to ourselves as we travelled through Kaiteriteri, which is so popular you could easily have thought you had arrived at Bondi Beach. The water's edge was clogged with people trying to escape the heat, the bars and cafes were packed and the speed limit was a mere 10kmh due to the pedestrian congestion. Then we went over the hill and pushed on to the next large bay where there was hardly a soul. It was quite bizzare.

Mārahau is very tidal with stunning sandbars popping up in a maze of waterways that are loaded with stingrays. We arrived as the tide was coming in which meant the water was heated by the sun in the shallows. It was warmer than any water we had encountered in Bali. It was so warm you had to dive down to find the more refreshing layer.

The double header surf contest saw some impressive surfing by the groms with Rewa Morrison, Tessa Gabbott and Sari Ayson taking the 1-2-3 in the Under 18 Girls in the grom comp, which was held in tiny waves in a dying swell. And it was the same in the Under 16 Girls with Pipiata Ritchie, Tessa Gabbott and Zara Owen taking the 1-2-3. Zara also won the Under 14 Girls with Pipiata in second on that occasion. Kalani Summerton came through to win the Under 14 Boys with Thomas Owen in third.

Overnight a strong northwest storm blew in (much like a southerly front, but warm). The swell jacked to 3m and T Bay was something entirely different to the millpond of the day before. Dunedin surfer Tessa Gabbott and Zara Owen both made the Open Women's finals with Tessa finishing second just behind Estella Hungerford who took home $1000 for her efforts.

In the Open Men's Ruben Peyroux represented ÅŒtepoti, finishing third behind local, Jacob Fitzgerald with Jai Earnshaw in second. In the Grandmaster Over 45s Justin Summerton had to settle for third behind Richard Ayson after Al Te Moananui made a late run for the top of the podium. George Roberts Senior finished in fourth.

Buller Boardriders and the community along the West Coast has a reputation for creating fun events and this one certainly ticked all the boxes. Looking forward to getting back there.

See you at the beach ... Derek

PS We're back to normal programming this week, back here in Dunedin and the forecast finally shows a heap of swell generators lurking to the east and to the south west. Check this lineup.