Coastal and Beach

Tītahi Bay Beach Porirua: Swimming, Surfing and Water Quality

Last updated October 2026

Tītahi Bay Beach is Porirua’s best-known surf and swimming beach, about 4 km from the centre of Porirua and around 20 minutes’ drive from Wellington. Porirua City Council says swimmers, surfers and beach walkers love it, and recommends it for swimming and learning to surf.

Tītahi Bay Surf Life Saving Club patrols it over summer. Water quality is the thing to watch: all three testing spots hold a Fair long-term grade on LAWA, so it is usually fine, but best avoided after rain.

Swimming Facts

13 water testing spots along the beach14 surf breaks
Testing spots: LAWA and Greater Wellington. Surf breaks: Greater Wellington Regional Council.

Before you swim: Tested weekly all year by Greater Wellington. Stay out for 48 hours after heavy rain. Latest result on LAWA

Today at Tītahi Bay Beach

Monday 2 November
Tide falling · 1.3 m now
6amnoon6pmHigh 3:23am 1.4 mLow 8:46am 0.9 mHigh 3:29pm 1.4 mLow 10:15pm 0.9 m
Sea
14.5°C
Cool, a wetsuit helps
UV
9 very high
Cover up 9:20am to 4:50pm
Sunset
8:04pm
Light till about 8:30pm
UV: worked out for a clear day from the height of the sun and typical ozone; cloud lowers it, but you can still burn.

Water quality track record

Fair at all 3 testing spots (2019 to 2025)ShowHide
Greater Wellington tests 3 spots along the beach.
1South Beach Access RoadFair
83% of 185 tests suitable for swimming, 2019 to 2025
Graded on the worst 1 in 20 tests: enterococci reached 318 per 100 mL (Fair is over 200). Most tests are fine, but it can be high after rain.
19/20
20/21
21/22
22/23
23/24
24/25
2Toms RoadFair
91% of 197 tests suitable for swimming, 2019 to 2025
Graded on the worst 1 in 20 tests: enterococci reached 207 per 100 mL (Fair is over 200). Most tests are fine, but it can be high after rain.
19/20
20/21
21/22
22/23
23/24
24/25
3Bay DriveFair
85% of 118 tests suitable for swimming, 2019 to 2025
Graded on the worst 1 in 20 tests: enterococci reached 277 per 100 mL (Fair is over 200). Most tests are fine, but it can be high after rain.
19/20
20/21
21/22
22/23
23/24
24/25
SuitableCautionUnsuitableEach bar is one summer of tests
What the grades mean

Excellent and Good: rarely unsafe for swimming. Fair: usually fine, but avoid swimming after rain. Poor: often unsuitable, especially after rain, so check the latest result first.

Grades use LAWA’s method: the 95th percentile of routine enterococci results over the five summers from 2020/21 to 2024/25, with at least 50 tests (South Beach Access Road: 318 per 100 mL from 148 tests; Toms Road: 207 per 100 mL from 153 tests; Bay Drive: 277 per 100 mL from 87 tests).

Surf Facts

Surf breaks at Tītahi Bay Beach

4 breaks: 2 beach breaks and 2 pointsShowHide
The 4 surf breaks at Tītahi Bay Beach are shown in blue on the map above. The compass shows which way each one faces, the swell that can reach it and the wind that blows offshore there, which is when the waves are cleanest.
1Pete's RockPoint break, leftsAdvanced and up
NESW
FacesNorth-northwestSwell reaches it fromThe west round to north, and the northeast, and the southwest round to west-southwestOffshore windFrom the south-southeastBest tideNot recordedLegal accessPublic reserve at the beach
Position checked on LINZ aerial photos
2FishermansPoint break, rightsAdvanced and up
NESW
FacesNorthwestSwell reaches it fromThe west round to north-northeast, and the north-northeast round to northeast, and the southwest round to west-southwestOffshore windFrom the southeastBest tideNot recordedLegal accessNext to a formed legal road
Position checked on LINZ aerial photos
3SlipperiesBeach break, rightsIntermediate and up
NESW
FacesWestSwell reaches it fromThe west round to north-northeast, and the north-northeast round to northeast, and the southwest round to west-southwestOffshore windFrom the eastBest tideNot recordedLegal accessNext to a formed legal road
Position checked on LINZ aerial photos
4Main BeachBeach break, lefts and rightsAll levels
NESW
FacesNorthwestSwell reaches it fromThe west round to north-northeast, and the north-northeast round to northeast, and the southwest round to west-southwestOffshore windFrom the southeastBest tideNot recordedLegal accessNext to a formed legal road
Position checked on LINZ aerial photos
Swell can reach itFacesOffshore wind from
Before you paddle out
These facts say what suits each break, not whether it’s safe today. Surf breaks have rips, rocks and changing conditions. If you’re learning, surf where and when lifeguards patrol, and check the conditions yourself before going in.
Legal access isn’t always easy access: paper roads are often unformed or fenced, so leave gates as you find them.

Practical Information

Location
Tītahi Bay, Porirua; car park off Windley Avenue; surf club at Beach Road and Toms Road
From Wellington
About 20 minutes by car (Porirua City Council)
Water
West-facing sandy bay, tidal (nearest tide station: Mana Marina)
Water quality
Fair at all three testing spots (LAWA long-term grades, summers 2020/21 to 2024/25)
Testing
Weekly all year by Greater Wellington
Lifeguards
Tītahi Bay Surf Life Saving Club, in summer; check the club for this season’s times
Facilities
Playground, car park, toilets and changing facilities
Dogs
No dogs from 10am to 7pm, 1 November to 31 March
Cost
Free

About Tītahi Bay Beach

Tītahi Bay is a sandy bay on Porirua’s west coast, lined with boatsheds. Along the beach walkway are four carved pou by Nathan Rei, unveiled in 2012, representing Kupe, Abel Tasman, James Cook and Te Rangihaeata.

The bay has a wartime past. Porirua City Council’s reserve records describe a machine gun post built as part of New Zealand’s Second World War coastal defences, noting that Tītahi Bay was a major defence area partly because of its radio transmission station. Greater Wellington has also mapped an ancient fossil forest in the bay.

Swimming and Water Quality at Tītahi Bay

Greater Wellington tests three spots along the beach every week of the year and shares the results on LAWA. All three have a Fair LAWA long-term grade for summers 2020/21 to 2024/25, which means the water is usually fine but best avoided after rain:

At Toms Road, by the surf club, 91% of 197 tests between July 2019 and April 2025 were suitable for swimming. At South Beach Access Road, 83% of 185 tests between November 2019 and April 2025 were suitable. At Bay Drive, 85% of 118 tests between November 2019 and March 2025 were suitable.

Check the latest result on LAWA before you swim, and stay out of the water for at least 48 hours after heavy rain. Several small streams run out across the beach; keep away from them, especially after rain.

Tītahi Bay Surf Life Saving Club’s volunteer lifeguards patrol the beach in summer. Swim between the flags, and check the club’s website for the current season.

Surfing at Tītahi Bay

Greater Wellington’s Natural Resources Plan lists four surf breaks here. The Main Beach has sand beach breaks, left and right, rated for beginner to expert surfers. Slipperies is a right-hand beach break for intermediate surfers.

Fishermans, at the northern end, is a right-hand point reef break for advanced surfers, and Pete’s Rock, at the southern end, is a left-hand point reef break for advanced to expert surfers.

Porirua City Council recommends the beach for learning to surf. Learners belong on the main beach, inside the patrol area when lifeguards are on duty, and well away from the reefs at either end.

Getting There and Beach Rules

Tītahi Bay is signposted from central Porirua. There is a car park by the beach, and the surf club sits on the corner of Beach Road and Toms Road.

Vehicles are no longer allowed on Tītahi Bay Beach, apart from launching boats and unloading at a boatshed. There is a public boat launching area, so keep clear of it when boats are moving. Dogs are not allowed on the beach from 10am to 7pm between 1 November and 31 March.

Where to Learn More

LAWA and Greater Wellington: the latest “Can I Swim Here?” result and long-term grade at Toms Road, by the surf club.

Porirua City Council: beaches: the council’s guide to Tītahi Bay and Porirua’s other beaches.

Tītahi Bay Surf Life Saving Club: patrol days and times over summer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you swim at Tītahi Bay?

Yes. It is a popular swimming beach and is patrolled in summer. All three testing spots have a Fair grade, so check LAWA first and stay out for at least 48 hours after heavy rain.

What is the water quality like?

Fair at all three testing spots. At Toms Road, by the surf club, 91% of 197 tests between July 2019 and April 2025 were suitable for swimming.

When is Tītahi Bay patrolled?

Over summer. Check the surf club for this season’s times.

Can you learn to surf at Tītahi Bay?

Porirua City Council recommends it for learning to surf, and Greater Wellington rates the main beach break from beginner to expert. The reef breaks at each end are for advanced surfers.

Can you drive on Tītahi Bay Beach?

No, apart from launching boats or unloading at a boatshed.

Are dogs allowed?

Not from 10am to 7pm between 1 November and 31 March.

How far is Tītahi Bay from Wellington?

About 20 minutes’ drive, and 4 km from the centre of Porirua.


You may also like

Paekākāriki BeachCoastal and Beach · 16.2 km awayPukerua Bay BeachCoastal and Beach · 9.5 km awayRaumati Beach WellingtonCoastal and Beach · 23.8 km away

Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.

Sources and data notes 3
  • Today at Tītahi Bay Beach: Tides: LINZ, CC BY 4.0; predictions only. Sea temperature: NASA JPL MUR satellite data for 29 Oct, via Tideteller.
  • Water quality track record: Water quality: © LAWA and partner organisations (Greater Wellington), licensed under CC BY 4.0, results to April 2025.
  • Surf Facts: Breaks, type and skill level: Greater Wellington Regional Council surf break layer (CC BY 4.0). The way each break faces, the swell that can reach it and its offshore wind are worked out from the LINZ coastline (CC BY 4.0); positions checked on LINZ aerial photos. Legal access: Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa, Outdoor Access Commission, from LINZ and DOC data (CC BY 4.0).