Is the ocean warm enough to swim in NZ?

Question

without a wetsuit??

Answer 1

Definitely not without a wetsuit, you would freeze and alot of NZ beaches dont have amenities where you culd have a shower afterwards. Even with a wetsuit i think you'd need to do some extreme paddling to keep warm. I personally wouldnt do it

Answer 2

yes, sure it is, in summer of course!! right now definitely not, water temps in NZ's ocean vary depending on what part of the country you are, i live in chch and the sea in summer on a hot nor'wester day is definitely refreshing, top of the south island around Kaiteri and nelson is pretty "warm" but the bay of plenty in the north island and northland (top of the north island of NZ) would have the warmest sea temperatures

Answer 3

No, definitely not, it's winter. Swimming weather starts around November/December, depending on the part of NZ that you're in.

Answer 4

Are you the same questioner that asked this very same question last week?

Were the answers not hot enough?

Answer 5

you could but you'd get a wicked icecream headache at this time of year!  

In the summer you can swim without a wettie no worries.  Obviously the further north you go the warmer the water is.  In Christchurch where i live the water temp is around 17 degrees celcius in the summer and around 11 degrees in the winter.

Answer 6

Some people do swim in winter without a wetsuit but they are considered crazy.