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About Wellington
Visiting Wellington
Map
of locations
Wellington Spots
Plimmerton
Kio Bay
Shark Bay
Seatoun Beach
Worser Bay
Lyall Bay
Eastbourne
Petone
Pauatahanui
Kapiti
Titahi Bay
Wairarapa Spots
Didis
Dumps
Lake Ferry
Lake Wairarapa
Ning Nong
Tora
Lobster Point
Whatarangi Point
Road Trips
Ningnong
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Overseas Visitors welcome!! New Zealand, a great destination !!!
Wellington produces some of the best sailing anywhere.
Wellington is well known for its high winds, and is statistically one of the windiest places of the world ! We might not have the most epic down the line big wave sailing, nor is there any sailing in shorts. But there is heaps of wind, great sailing for all abilities, one of the best jumping spots worldwide and a windsurfing scene which has been described by European windsurfers visiting here as the best worldwide. Just hang around for a while and you will realize that Wellington is a fantastic place, not only for windsurfing.
The windiest time of the year in Wellington is certainly September to December, when it is quite common to get 70 % wavesailing days per week. However, winds are not tradewinds, and do not occurr with the same consistency as for instance in June-August in Maui. Visiting Wellington after January, is a bit risky, as there sometimes large gaps between the windy days. Taranaki is probably the better call at this time of the year, as the Taranaki coastline offers some thermical winds formed by the mount Taranaki, offering some of the very best wavesailing on this planet. Only very few overseas windsurfers visit New Zealand from March to September.
Temperateures are generally mild year round, and all you will require from September to March is a short sleeved suit.
Sailing in New Zealand is all about avoiding the crowds, there is a chance you will turn up at some beach, and you will wonder why no one is out there in the great conditions.
Most overseas visitiors tour around New Zealand, discovering the various sailing spots around. A good idea is to combine Wellington and Taranaki, which is 4 hours noth of Wellington, and offers some of the very best wavesailing worldwide.
Wheels:
A 3 month rental stationwagon can be arranged for ~ 2000 NZD, some rent small vans which they can sleep in (you are allowed to camp whereever you like in NZ).
If you decide to stay in motels, the prices vary from 50 to 100 NZD/night, however especially in Taranaki, the WaveHaven is a great, affordable base for a sailing vacation at about 15 NZ$ a night.
Accomodation:
For Wellington, we definitely recommend the "Moana Lodge", which is a really nice and tidy Backpackers close to the Plimmerton sailing spot. It's definitely one of the best backpackers in NZ according to "Lets Go Guide 2002" and the "Lonely Planet 2002" rated it as "exceptional backpackers" (BBH Rated 97% 2002). The rooms are from NZD 20 to 45, and its only about 20 minutes into town. Ideal as base for all your activities. Contact details: Helen&John www.moanalodge.co.nz , ph 04/233 2010
Gear:
The best option is always to bring your own gear, it is most unlikely you will break any gear around Wellington, high performance rentals can be arranged with the local windsurfing shops. Just drop them an Email, mentioning the duration of your stay and your preferred gear, and they will get back to you with availability and pricing. (Most local wavesailors just own one waveboard (75 liters) and sails from 3.7 to 5.0, which is all you need from Septmeber to December). In Taranaki, rentals can be arranged with CARBON ART. Just drop them an Email.
Other activities:
- Wellington features some of the best mountainbiketracks worldwide with the Makara Park Mountinbike Park. A whole mountain specifically developed by mountainbikers, with hours of pure adrenalin singletracks and downhills !
- Kitesurfing: Kapiti coast offers a great kitesurfing area. Wide beach, no crowds and steady winds.
- Should the wind for once not blow, Evans bay offers really nice wakeboarding.
- Nightlife. Since you are close to a city, Wellington offers great nightlife, bars, cafes and restaurants. Wellington is not very big, it's still got all the action, but you'll never really be cought in traffic jams !!
- Plus heaps of other stuff such as rock climbing, kajaking, exploring, trecking etc etc..
(c) M. Hollenstein
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