April 2026 - New Zealand Surf Journal

Conservation Week: Surfing With Sea Lions, A Short Film

Derek MorrisonApril 25, 2026April 23, 2026

by Derek MorrisonApril 25, 2026April 23, 20260

In this short film, Moss Thompson, a surfer and DOC coastal ranger in Otago, explains what surfers need to do to safely surf with sea lions. We’ve all been there: trying desperately to enjoy a surf only to have a sea lion turn up and get in your grill. Well,......

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Conservation Week: David Agnew On The Intersection Of Surfing And Conservation

Josh GaleApril 25, 2026April 23, 2026

by Josh GaleApril 25, 2026April 23, 20260

DOC veteran David Agnew has spent decades living, working and surfing across the whenua, helping to restore wild places and protect endemic species. He says the intersection between surfing and conservation is clear. DOC veteran David Agnew has traveled the country with his work for DOC … and surfed most......

Conservation Week: Moss Thompson, The Ranger On A Mission To Save Sea Lions

Josh GaleApril 24, 2026April 23, 2026

by Josh GaleApril 24, 2026April 23, 20260

DOC ranger and surfer Moss Thompson works in the same waters he loves –protecting endangered sea lions where they live, breed and play. Moss shares his story from the deep south. My family has always been the outdoorsy types and from an early age we were in the hills tramping.......

Conservation Week: A Predator Detection Specialist With A Passion For Surf

Derek MorrisonApril 23, 2026April 23, 2026

by Derek MorrisonApril 23, 2026April 23, 20260

This DOC ranger travels the southern surf coast, mixing her battles for biodiversity with sessions at hidden spots. Writer Jose Watson catches up with Melissa McNaughtan on the West Coast. Surfer Mel McNaughtan is a DOC Biodiversity Monitoring Ranger who works out of Hokitika. She is part of a team......

Conservation Week: How The Karioi Project Returned Birdsong To Raglan

Josh GaleApril 22, 2026April 23, 2026

by Josh GaleApril 22, 2026April 23, 20260

Next time you’re out for session at Raglan and you hear birdsong in the bush-clad hills above the break, remember the 100+ volunteers, including many surfers, who brought it back from the brink. Whenever Kristel van Houte is out at one of her go-to Raglan spots with her 6’10” mid-length......

Conservation Week: Looking Beneath With Kirsty Prior

Nicole StevenApril 21, 2026April 23, 2026

by Nicole StevenApril 21, 2026April 23, 20260

Surfer, diver, conservationist, civil servant: Kirsty Prior wears many hats. We caught up with her ahead of Conservation Week to chat about how surfers can contribute to a healthy ocean. One day, out at Jailbreaks in the Maldives a young woman was settled on her board between sets, when she......

Tom Butland And Alani Morse Win Wildcards Into Raglan Pro

Derek MorrisonApril 20, 2026April 20, 2026

by Derek MorrisonApril 20, 2026April 20, 20260

Taranaki’s Tommy Butland and 15-year-old Raglan surfer Alani Morse win the Backdoor King & Queen of the Point, and claim the wildcards for the Raglan Pro, stop number 4 on the World Surf League Championship Tour, May 15-25. With the cleanest 3-5 foot surf of the five-day event window at......

Conservation Week: The Inspiring Comeback Of Lizard Specialist Ben Barr

Josh GaleApril 20, 2026April 23, 2026

by Josh GaleApril 20, 2026April 23, 20260

Founder of the Good Surf Now app, Ben Barr lived and breathed conservation until a surfing accident ruined his life. Whangārei writer Josh Gale shares his remarkable comeback story. There was a moment when Ben completely fell apart. He had been teaching Conservation and Environmental Management at NorthTec Wānanga, pushing......

Watch: Puerto Escondido Opening Swell, Barrels, Hold Downs And Big Closeouts!

Keo MorrisonApril 18, 2026April 17, 2026

by Keo MorrisonApril 18, 2026April 17, 20260

This film by Nathan Florence shows him surfing the first big swell of the season at Puerto Escondido – one of the heaviest beach breaks in the world. In this film we see Nathan Florence charge a heavy, wild beach break in the heart of Puerto Escondido, Mexico. Nathan spends......

Watch: Best Surf Of My Life With Jordy Smith

Keo MorrisonApril 17, 2026April 17, 2026

by Keo MorrisonApril 17, 2026April 17, 20260

When it is Jordy Smith claiming the best surf of his life, it’s hard to look away. Watch Jordy in the session of his life at his home break in Durban, South Africa. The video highlights how rare and special these conditions are, with Jordy surfing at an extremely high......