Hampden is a small rural settlement with an extremely small population (close to 300 in 2004). This ocean beach rarely gets crowded. The beach is used primarily for swimming, and kayaking but the Katiki straight is known for providing good surf and trout fishing. The Moeraki Boulders are a few km south of the beach along the coast. These unusually large and almost perfectly spherically shaped boulders separate Hampden from Moeraki.

Water is generally safe for recreational activities at Hampden Beach. However, bacterial contamination can occur, commonly after rainfall, as storm water and rural run-off may contain human or animal effluent. The results at this site may be influenced by Big Kuri Creek, which flows into the Pacific Ocean 50m upstream of the sampling site.

The description above was copied from or heavily based on Swim Guide, with permission.

More Information

• Swim Guide - Weather and water quality for Hampden Beach at Campground and 8,000 other beaches.