In an island nation such as New Zealand with easy access to surf beaches, surfing activities are very popular and, while generally perceived as a healthy form of outdoor recreation, they do have attendant risks. This study reports on nondrowning, surfing-related incidents that required medical first aid on beaches during five summer seasons from 2007–2012. Retrospective descriptive analysis of data from lifeguard first-aid reports found that 16% (n = 1,327) of injuries were the consequence of surfing activity. More males than females were treated for surfing injuries (68% male, 31% female). Lacerations (59%) and bruising (15%) accounted for most of the injuries. The head was the most common site of injury (32%), and most injuries were caused by contact with the victim’s own board (50%). Ways of promoting surf safety via equipment modification, the use of protective head gear, the management of surfing activity by lifeguards, and public education are discussed. Globally, surfing is a popular sport and recreational pastime, with an estimated 37 million participants, generating a surfing industry worth $6.24 billion in 2010 in the United States alone (Statistic Brain, 2012). With 14,000 kilometers of coastline extending over 10 degrees of latitude and fronting two major ocean masses, the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean, it is hardly surprising that surfing activities are very popular in New Zealand. For some, surfing is an integral part of daily life, and a distinct surfing culture has evolved, especially in communities close to good surf beaches (Pearson, 1979). For others, surfing may be associated only with occasional summertime visits to the beach. The advent of fiberglass and polystyrene foam technology has meant that surf boards and body (Boogie) boards, the type often used by the occasional surfer, are cheap and readily available. While generally perceived as a healthy form of outdoor recreation, surfing has attendant risks. Of these risks, the most obvious risk for a water-based activity is the omnipresent threat of drowning. While the incidence of drowning during aquatic recreation including surfing has been well reported (for example, Morgan, Ozanne-Smith, & Triggs, 2008), other nondrowning related injuries associated with surfing activities have not been well reported.