GO NZ: 10 of the best places to learn to surf in New Zealand 16 Dec, 2020 05:13 PM 9 minutes to read Surfing can be fun for any one - you don't have to be as experienced as these Southland locals. Photo / Jeremy Pierce Surfing can be fun for any one - you don't have to be as experienced as these Southland locals. Photo / Jeremy Pierce NZ Herald By: Jessica Wynne Lockhart Snotty saltwater streaming out of my nose, I blink back the tears; my natural reaction to fear. Behind me, my instructor's hand is on my board, guiding me through water that can't be more than chest-deep. Around us, families frolic in waves that gently crest and crash towards the shore.