Awatoto

Awatoto is a gravel-bottomed river-mouth break a quarter-hour south of Napier. The banks are changeable, shifting with the river and the swell, but when they line up Awatoto throws fast, hollow barrels that can be, in the words of the locals, all-time. It works best on an E or SE swell with an incoming tide and a W or SW offshore, and depending on how the gravel is sitting it breaks left or right. On a smaller day it backs off into a more forgiving beach break with peaks down the shore.

It is a fickle, unglamorous spot in an industrial corner of the coast, and that keeps it honest: no crowds most of the time, friendly locals, and a quality wave within twenty minutes of central Napier. When Awatoto is firing the word gets around and a local crew appears, so it can get busy on the good banks. The rest of Hawke's Bay, from Cape Kidnappers to the beaches further south, opens up when the swell or wind is wrong here.

• Let the gravel banks tell you which way to surf, since they decide whether it is barrelling or closing out and whether the left or the right is the pick, so watch a few sets and line up where the wall is holding.
• Think of this as Napier's session-grabber, fifteen to twenty minutes south of the city and the spot most local surfers check first when there is swell in the water, a genuine barrel when it is on and a friendly beach when it is small.
• If Awatoto is closing out or wrong-angled, the rest of Hawke's Bay is close, with Te Awanga and Ocean Beach just south and Cape Kidnappers' gannet colony making a good non-surf backup.
• Make a day of Napier while you are here, since the Art Deco town centre, the Marine Parade and wineries like Mission Estate, Black Barn and Te Mata are all close, an easy afternoon after a dawn surf.

• The river-mouth currents and rips pull hardest on the outgoing tide and on a bigger swell, so know where the water is moving before you commit to a peak.
• The bottom is gravel and shingle, which makes the drops sucky and the wave heavy when the banks are good, so be ready for some punch under your rails.
• When the banks are off it shifts into a closeout that dumps on the gravel, so always check it from the bank before you paddle out rather than committing on yesterday's report.
• A local crew gathers on the good banks when it is on, so know the lineup and take your turn rather than burning the regulars on the peak.

Getting there

Awatoto is on the coast about 15 minutes south of central Napier, off the coastal road past the airport turnoff. Follow the coastal road to the beach carpark.

Parking

Sealed carpark off the coastal road at the beach. Park and walk over the gravel bank to whichever peak is breaking.

Toilets & showers

Public toilets at the Awatoto beach carpark. No showers, so bring water for a rinse. Full facilities in Napier, 15 minutes north.

Shops, cafes & fuel

Nothing at the beach. Central Napier (15 minutes) has supermarkets, fuel, cafes and everything else, with fuel and dairies on the way out of the city.

Accommodation

Napier has the full range of motels, hotels, holiday parks and Bookabach options 15 minutes north, including the Art Deco-era stays on Marine Parade. No accommodation at Awatoto itself.

Camping

No camping at Awatoto. The Napier and Hastings holiday parks are the nearest options, 15 to 20 minutes away. Freedom camping is restricted across the Napier and Hastings urban areas, so use a holiday park.