Hire a board
Foamie if its your first go, funboard for most people, longboard when its small, shortboard if you already surf. Wetsuits extra.
From $15 / 2hrs for a bodyboard.
Bluff, southland
Boards, a coach if you want one, and a place to sit after.
Neonaveiro is the hire shed at the Bluff end of the highway. Take a board, book Tane, or just come down when the bank looks alright.
What this is
You can hire a surfboard, you can hire a coach, and you can hang around the camp when youre done. The camp is the shed and the deck and the beach straight out front. Not a resort. The name was painted on the old van. The van died. We kept the name because nobody wanted the argument.
This is not Raglan and we wont do the brochure voice. Southland water is cold, the wind has opinions, and some days the right call is coffee on the deck. When its workable its a decent place to learn, or to get wet if you already know what youre doing.
Ring before you drive down if its blowing hard. The coast will still be there tomorrow.
Tane, on a day that was better than it looks. Lessons stay in the wash where you can stand.
Three ways to do it
A coach
Group lesson $75 a head for about 90 minutes, up to four of you. Private hour with Tane is $140 and the board is in that.
Stay on the deck
Loungers, a pie, a beer once youre out. If the weather turns, pool inside, and two gaming machines — pokies if youre local, slots if youre not.
Between waves
People who actually came
Left in the book, typed up mostly as written. We didnt tidy the grammar.
Hired the funboard on a Saturday that was windier than they let on. Still got two waves I didnt fall straight off. Pie after was the right call. Lost a bit of change on the pokies while my mate was still out, so that parts on me.
Lesson with Tane. He doesnt talk much, which I liked. Stood up once and drank half the ocean the other times. Wetsuit was a bit loose round the neck. Id go again when the wind isnt so south.
Called in for a shortboard. They looked at me and told me to take the funboard instead. Fair enough. Played pool in the shed when the rain came sideways. One cue is bent. Boards came back, no drama about the old ding that was already there.
We thought Bluff would be too much for a first go. Maree put us on foamies and it was fine, just cold, bring the thick wetsuit seriously. Loungers out the back rock a bit. Beer was cold. Mike wants the longboard next time if the bank is small.
Leave a note
Tell us a board, a lesson, or both. If its today, skip the form and ring — we might be in the water, but the phone comes up the beach with us.
Parking is at 10 SH 1, Bluff, Southland Region. Map and the rest of the hours are on the come by page. Read the rules before you turn up sandy and hopeful.
Ta, .
This stays on your screen. We dont send the form anywhere — Maree doesnt want phone numbers sitting in a website. Ring 03 212 7761 and read it out, or screenshot it and text 021 884 316.
Phone
After
Day
Note