Raglan is renowned worldwide for its consistent left-hand surf break, one of the longest in the Southern Hemisphere. The black sand beach stretches for kilometers along the Waikato coastline, creating a dramatic backdrop for this unique data visualization.
Located on the West Coast of New Zealand's North Island, Raglan experiences significant tidal variations that create the famous surf conditions. The harbour entrance creates strong tidal flows that interact with ocean swells, producing the perfect left-hand breaks that surfers travel across the globe to experience.
This tide poster captures every high and low tide for Raglan across a full year (January – December 2026), using verified LINZ data – the same source used for official New Zealand tide tables.
Each poster is a 12×31 grid showing every tide for 12 months. Rows represent months (January at top, December at bottom), columns represent days of the month. Dots indicate the timing and size of high and low tides.
The patterns you see are unique to Raglan's coastline, shaped by the black sand beach, harbour entrance, and the surrounding topography. Once you learn to read one poster, you can understand any beach's tidal rhythm.
Mid-tide on an incoming swell. The harbour entrance works best at mid-tide when the tidal flow interacts with ocean swells to create the famous left-hand break.
Winter (June-August) brings bigger swells and more dramatic tidal patterns. Summer offers more consistent, smaller conditions perfect for beginners. Autumn and spring provide a mix of conditions.
Check the harbour mouth at low tide for interesting rock formations and marine life. The black sand gets extremely hot in summer – bring shoes!
Bridal Veil Falls (20 minutes), Mount Karioi (hiking), Te Toto Gorge walk, Raglan town with cafes and surf shops.
Raglan's tides are significantly influenced by the harbour entrance, which creates strong tidal flows that interact with incoming ocean swells. This interaction produces the famous left-hand surf break that can run for hundreds of meters on the right tide.
The best surfing conditions typically occur at mid-tide on an incoming swell, especially during spring tides around full and new moons. The harbour entrance works best when the tidal flow is moving, creating the perfect wave shape.
The data comes directly from LINZ (Land Information New Zealand), the official government hydrographic authority. It's the same data used for official New Zealand tide tables, calculated using harmonic constituents and the Hermitian Matrix Spline algorithm.