EXPLORING LAKE TAYLOR Wingfoiling and Mountainbiking After a fantastic summer season in the South Island, at the end of March it was getting time to start our annual migration north. Lake Taylor and Lake Sumner just south of the Lewis pass were always a tempting destination on the map, but we had never been there….
Summer Surfari Trips 2026 TRIP REPORT Summer 2026 was a bit of a mixed bag in New Zealand. At times it felt fairly cold and unsettled in the South Island where we were, with a few with a few brisk Southerly fronts coming through. Despite the unusual weather patterns, our South Island Surfari Trips were…
THE BEST DOWNWIND FOILING RUNS A Guide to New Zealand’s Epic Locations New Zealand has got some worldclass downwind foil runs with stunning scenic backdrops. Downwind foiling is gaining world wide popularity, be it paddle up, with a wing or with a parawing. New Zealand has got some spectacular scenic runs to offer. This blogpost…
NORTHLAND SEASON 2025 Trip Report Winter is coming to and end in New Zealand and so is our Northland 2025 season. Here is an overview of our highlights of the last 3 months. Unsettled weather has been a recurring theme this year, with sun and rain playing a game of tag and the wind swinging…
INTRODUCTION TO WEATHER APPS Our favourite weather forecast The best weather app is always the one you are used to. You know how to read it and what it means for your local spot. However, sometimes it’s good to mix it up and try something new – it could broaden your horizon and give you…
During our Surfari Trips, when the next delicious loaf of bread or lunch appears out of nowhere, we often get ask: How in earth did you find those caterers? And who are they? This blogpost will go behind the scenes and tell you a bit more about the story behind some of our caterers and how we found them.
LAKE CLEARWATER CAMPING SURFARI 2025 Trip Report An extended stay at Lake Clearwater seems to become a fixture on our annual calendar. And why not, it’s such a nice place with plenty of things to do. There is not only the lake with all the watersport options, but also fantastic mountainbiking and hiking. We time…
CANTERBURY LAKES DISCOVERY TRIP 2025 Trip Report For 2025 we had two Trips to the Canterbury Lakes on our calendar, and both of them booked out well in advance. Though due to a short notice injury cancellation for the first trip, one lucky winger all the way from Ireland got the chance to scored a…
HOW TO CARRY WINDSURFING KIT How-to guide Have you ever found yourself on a spot where you need to carry your gear for a bit before you are where you want to launch from? Here is an easy way to pack & how to carry windsurfing kit to that remote piece of sailing paradise. When…
TARANAKI WAVE CLASSIC 2024 The oldest windsurfing event in New Zealand The Taranaki Wave Classic (TWC) has been an absolute cracker of an event this year. With over 60 participants and exciting but unusual weather forecast, a lot of windsurfers wingfoilers were presented with a wide variety of locations all along the coast of the…
IT’S ALL ABOUT FOOD…. Catering during a Water Nomads Surfari We can’t control the weather, but we can control the food. Good food contributes widely to a successful trip away and is often one of the things you will remember most. Those who know us know how much we value good food. For us, good…
NORTHLAND SEASON 2024 Our busiest Northland Surfari season so far! Our 2024 Northland Surfari season has just come to an end, and we had a great time again in the winterless north. 2024 was our busiest season here in Northland to date, with 5 Surfari Trips (up from 3 last year), one of them being…
SURFARI TRIPS FOR 2025 A great Surfari line-up for next season is out now The 2024 Surfari season hasn’t quiet finished yet, and we are already making plans for next year. For 2025, we have a few new ideas and are expanding some of our existing trips. For the 2025 season we will also be…
NORTHLAND Featured Location The area around Doubtless Bay in the Far North District offers some of the best windsport opportunities in New Zealand. While it is super busy during summer with people on holiday, boating, fishing and swimming, it calms down over winter. Though winter is possibly not the right word for it, as…
CANTERBURY LAKES TRIP FEBURARY 2024 Trip Report That’s a wrap! A fantastic crew – again – with lots of laughs and good banter. It’s almost like getting on the water every day is just the icing on the cake! Arrival day is usually what the word says – the day to arrive. But this crew…
CUSTOM SURFARI CANTERBURY LAKES 2024 Trip Report What exactly is a Water Nomads Custom Surfari? Well, it depends. As the name suggests, it’s a Surfari Trip, tailored to perfectly suit your needs and wants. It can be one of our standard Surfari Trips at a different date that suits you, or it can be something…
LAKE ŌHAU Spot Guide Lake Ōhau Spot Guide, it holds a special place in our heart, it’s got that certain feel to it. We always end up spending a lot of time there during summer, although most people rather associate wintersports and the Lake Ōhau Skifield with the area. During our Canterbury Lakes Discovery Trip…
LAKE AVIEMORE Spot Guide In the New Zealand windsurfing scene, Lake Aviemore is possibly the best known lake in the South Island. Out of all the lakes that we visit during our Canterbury Lakes Discovery Trip, it is the only one with and active windsports scene. We give you the run down on what you…
LAKE TEKAPO Spot Guide Lake Tekapo, the Northern-most lake of our Canterbury Lakes Discovery Trip, offers fantastic scenic views – a landscape right out of Lord of the Rings. We give you the run down on what you can expect here. Geography of Lake Tekapo: Lake Tekapo is about 3 hours drive south-west of Christchurch and…
Close your eyes and imagine your ideal windsurfing or foiling trip. It’s probably not a sweaty tour bus, a guide herding you around, a school camp, or a wild party. Our Water Nomads Surfari Trips offer a completely different experience that caters to your passion for the sport and your sense of adventure. Our Surfari Trips are designed for a small group of intermediate to advanced windsurfers and foilers, ranging from six to ten individuals who share your enthusiasm for living life on the water.
Another stunning weekend in Taradise – the Taranaki Wave Classic 2023 saw some amazing sailing in Pungarehu on Sunday and more sailing, winging and surfing on various spots along the coast on Friday and Saturday. Here is how our Water Nomads crew experienced the weekend.
The Taranaki Wave Classic is approaching fast. To ensure a fun and safe event for everyone, let’s brush up on those waveriding priority rules and etiquette.
LAKE PUKAKI Spot Guide Lake Pukaki is always a favourite during our Canterbury Lakes Discovery Trip. Everyone is keen to get that money shot! Fair enough, as the scenery is hard to match. New Zealand’s highest mountain Aoraki Mount Cook and several other snow capped mountains are towering at the Northern end of the lake….
THE CANTERBURY LAKES Featured Location Imagine sailing here! This dream can come true. Each year in summer (January and February) we run a few Surfari Trips in South Canterbury, our Canterbury Lakes Discovery Trip. Based in Twizel, in beautiful McKenzie Country, we have a good variety of lakes to chose from, depending on the wind…
Wavesailing in Taranaki Part 1 was about getting an overview of the area. This is Part 2 which will give you more details about the main wavesailing spots.
When you say “Wavesailing in New Zealand”, you need to say as well “Taranaki”. This is an overview of New Zealands top wavesailing location.
NORTHLAND SURFARI TRIPS JULY 2023 Trip Report Our two Surfaris to Northland in July couldn’t have been much more different from each other. They were only one week apart, but had a completely different character. Whereas one was 4 days of Groundhog-Day, the other one showed a few different facets of the Far North. Northland…
NORTHLAND SURFARI TRIP JUNE 2023 Trip Report Well, we must say, the forecast wasn’t favourable for this Surfari With a low settling right on top of Northland. Being in the center of the storm, it was supposed to be absolutely windless and we feared this weekend would be a first: A whole Surfari without any…
THAT PERFECT WINDSURF / FOILING SPOT Featured Location Did you ever play the game of dreaming up your perfect spot? We do it quite a bit, and the result is fascinating. Let’s start with the rigging area and access to the water: Do you prefer a sandy or rocky entry? What about a grassy rigging…
FLYING LONG-HAUL With Windsurf and Wingfoil Kit Flying with windsurfing and wingfoiling kit. What can possibly go wrong? Lost, delayed or damaged equipment Unless you are based on the Australian East Coast, travelling to New Zealand includes at least one long-haul flight. Travelling half way around the world from Europe it is usually 2-3 flights…
CANTERBURY LAKES TRIP FEBRUARY 2023 Trip Report We just finished our inaugural Canterbury Lakes Discovery Trip. And all I can say is “Wow, it’s been an amazing week!” There is always a fair bit of nervousness before a Surfari Trip, especially a Surfari to a new destination. Is everything going as planned? Caterer, rental van…
If we had to pick our Top 3 for the most epic windsurf and wingfoil spots, this here would be our list.
Starting out wing-foiling or just keen on nice flat water to improve your skills? Here is our pick of 5 great flatwater spots in New Zealand. Wing friendly entry, deep water without walking for miles, with steady wind.
LABOUR WEEKEND SURFARI TARANAKI 2022 Trip Report Labour Weekend – time for the annual trek to Taranaki from all over the country. Usually the Taranaki Wave Classic, New Zealands biggest and oldest windsurfing event, is happening over the long weekend. This year, it was more of an informal format. Nothing official organised, yet plenty of…
Winter in the Winterless North never disappoints. We spent two months winging and windsurfing on the Karikari Peninsula and had a ball!
Our two Surfari Trips to Northland this winter were a great success. Windsurfing, winging, kitefoiling, windfoiling,… mix it up, keep your options open!
WINDSURFING & WINGFOILING SOUTHLAND Location Feature The Far South, as opposed to the Far North. Looking for more detail? Hit the button below and get all the information you need with Water Nomads Spotguides! Spotguides Most people associate freezing cold winds from the Antarctic, icebergs drifting past, massive swells and gnarly coastlines. And of course…
EXPLORING THE CANTERBURY LAKES Location Feature We were keen to see for ourselves what all the fuss is about. Looking for more detail? Hit the button below and get all the information you need with Water Nomads Spotguides! Spotguides Canterbury’s inland lakes are famous for strong winds and stunning mountainous backdrops. The Northwesterly can easily…
WINDY WINTER SURFARI TO NORTHLAND Trip Report Winter is wind-time, at least in Northland. During our Surfari in August we definitely scored. Windy every day, a different spot to experience each day, tired and hungry in the evening – what more can you ask for? Those arriving early on Friday afternoon did get rewarded with…
TARANAKI SURFARI DECEMBER 2020 Trip Report Hunt for that elusive spot of the day… Saturday morning, the swell dropped heaps from the day before, and the wind was supposed to pick up again. It was only the direction that wasn’t perfect for the usual spots around New Plymouth. But that’s why you are in Taranaki,…
TARANAKI SURFARI OCTOBER 2020 Trip Report Taranaki – like no other. So they say. And we can add ‘it never disappoints’. The first 2 days of our Surfari (Thursday and Friday), we had stunning sunny weather and excellent surfing conditions. No wind to speak of, which didn’t bother us too much as there is so…
WINTER SOLISTICE SURFARI TO NORTHLAND Trip Report This was our first Surfari since New Zealand came out of lockdown, and there was certainly an appetite to get away and play! So what is a Water Nomads Surfari? Ultimately it is a weekend away which is hosted in a premium water sport location. Water Nomads arrange…
FLASHBACK OF THE LAST 5 MONTHS A Wild Windy Season Time flies, so time for a flashback and what have been up to during the last 5 months! First of all, it’s been a very windy year so far. We could go out on the water nearly every day since late September 🙂 The moment…
TWC WARM-UP SURFARI 2019 Trip Report The tension was high, the promised weather could not be better! Wednesday 23rd October, Water Nomads windsurfers descended on Oakura, Taranaki. And holly, the swell was huge… A returning friend from Australia for the TWC reported various attempts to get on the water, including ‘crushers’, only to get crushed… …
Ultimate Trips for the 2020 Season Your Surfari Holiday Born from the success of the initial 2019 season trips to Taranaki. Water Nomads are broadening the scope for the 2020 season. Taranaki will remain a prominent destination on the calendar, as the premium wave sailing location and of course our favourite. None more so than…
TARANAKI SURFARI MARCH 2019 Trip Report It was on! Water Nomads late summer Surfari to Taradise. With the promise of perfect weather and a moderate swell, five great windsurfers joined us for the weekend. Jill, Richard and David were so amped from our first trip and were straight into this one (pretty sure it was…
INAUGURAL SURFARI RECAP 2019 Trip Report The first weekend of February 2019, New Plymouth, Taranaki, Aotearoa New Zealand… The scene was set! A crew of four keen windsurfer’s joined Water Nomads – Heidi and Bevan for a weekend of forecast promising windsurf wave sailing. From Auckland – Jill, Richard, Phillip and Wellington – David, we…
Heidi and Bevan suffer the endless desire to explore, but its more than that! We also have the desire to share…
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