Overview
Mahia Spit is a long, skinny finger of rock that turns into something powerful and hollow down its eastern side. The outside section breaks square, super-shallow, and fast over uneven reef, so only experienced barrel-riders tend to make it out the other end. The right off the tip and the inside section are far more forgiving. Just north of Mahia town you'll also find Old Mans, a set of scattered, cliff-lined sand and reef peaks.
When It Works
Both lefts and rights break here, drawing swell from northeast through east-southeast to south, with a northeast swell the best match. It's usable from 0.9 m / 3 ft to 3.7 m / 12 ft and stays moderately consistent, so while it isn't on every day, it's a good reef when the setup lines up.
Wind and Tide
Look for a southwest offshore wind. It works on mid and high tide, with a rising tide generally the better call.
Local Tips
This is an expert wave. The outside Spit is strictly for barrel-riders, while the easier right off the tip and the inside section pull a busy lineup, especially on weekends.
Access
From Napier, follow State Highway 2 north through Wairoa to Nuhaka, then take Nuhaka Opoutama Road and Ormond Drive toward Mahia Beach. At Mahia Beach, continue onto Mahia East Coast Road, which cuts across to the peninsula's east coast; the rocky spit sits just south of Mahia and is hard to miss. There's a car park with free parking plus roadside parking, along with restrooms and camping.
