Shipstern

Shipstern is a reef break over rock, usually breaking in the 2–6m range, and how suitable it is for beginners really depends on the size and power on the day — not a fixed label. The rock bottom rewards some confidence in the water and awareness of what's beneath you, especially as the size picks up. Set the level to Beginner above and WaveCheck flags the smaller, cleaner hours worth paddling out for.

Different days call for different boards. Shipstern can get sizeable, so a shortboard comes into its own on bigger days, while a longboard still works when it drops small. Tap through the boards above to see the live score for whatever you'll be riding.

Shipstern tends to work best around low tide. The tide chart above shows the current stage plus the next high and low, so you can time your session.

Look for 2–6m of swell from the SE / S / SW with light offshore winds from the NW / N / NE. The 5-day forecast above scores every hour, so you can spot the window at a glance.