Overview
Magnet Bay is a small, scenic cove that breaks left over boulders, surfed since the early 1960s by the Midshore Boardriders club. The lefts don't really wrap, but the walls can get pretty juicy and the rides can run a good length. It's a solid setup.
When It Works
The reef draws swell from southwest through southeast, with south swell the best match. It works from 0.9 m / 3 ft to 2.4 m / 8 ft, and it's a consistent spot that turns up often. As the swell gets bigger, it can handle more tide.
Wind and Tide
Look for north offshore wind; the bay copes with any northerly. It surfs on low and mid tide, with a rising tide generally the better call.
Local Tips
Magnet suits intermediate surfers, with boulders and bull kelp to contend with in the lineup. Expect a moderately busy lineup when it works. Beginners and longboarders are better off at the two sheltered beaches just east, Tumbledown Bay and Te Oka Bay, rather than taking on the rocks and kelp here.
Access
From Christchurch, drive out through Halswell on Christchurch Akaroa Road (Highway 75), through Tai Tapu and past Birdlings Flat to Little River. As you enter Little River, turn right onto Wairewa Pa Road signposted to the southern bays, then take the first right onto Kinloch Road, which winds up the hill. At the summit the road turns to gravel; turn right onto Bossu Road, then first left onto Te Oka Bay Road. At the first farmer's house, turn right onto the signposted Magnet Bay Road. Park on the grass opposite the farmer's, with free roadside parking, then it's a short two-minute walk across the paddock to the beach.
