Shipwreck Bay - One of New Zealand’s Most Storied Point Breaks

Established Northern California paramedic Grant Seibert has responded to numerous emergency 911 situations. Grant Seibert had the opportunity to visit New Zealand and learn to surf while in college. He capped his summer by competing in a surf competition, taking fourth place.

One of New Zealand’s most popular surf breaks, Shipwreck Bay is situated in the west of the North Island’s Northland region, within the township of Ahipara. About five hours’ drive from Aukland, the bay is located at Ninety Mile Beach’s southernmost point. Challenging to access, it was put on the international surfing map by the classic 1960s documentary The Endless Summer.

Any southwest swell in the area will get picked up by the headland and funneled into two distinct breaks of varying skill level. The left-hand “Wreck Bay” point break provides a long, gentle ride to the sandy beach. By contrast, “Peaks” is situated farther out along the headland and starts with a fast-moving barrel that continues into a long rise toward the beach. Rather than swim out the full distance, many surfers choose to walk back along the beach.