Sumner Weather Information

View over the Sumner Bar of the Estuary of the Avon and Heathcote rivers. The view includes Cave Rock and the Seaward Kaikoura's 150 km away. The stone structure on Cave Rock was the Sumner Pilots Shelter with a series of signals on the mast being used to signal the safety of the Sumner Bar. This Panasonic camera has been running since November 2003 and the image updates every 59 seconds.

Cave Rock is marked by the yellow pin.

Although located just a short 15 minute drive from the centre of town past the Estuary, Sumner's beach is large enough to handle holiday crowds. It consists of gently sloping, fine grey sand and beach extends from Scarborough Hill at the south end to Shag Rock at the north end. Surf breaks are present along the whole beach as well as the point at Scarborough and the Bar at the Estuary. There are volcanic rocky outcroups in the area, with Cave Rock being the dominant one of the beach.

Best conditions are found between October and March with winds averaging 15 to 20 knots and usually blowing onshore. Winter winds aren’t really any good as they are too weak or gusty. There are no facilities on the beach, but you can park in Sumner easily enough. Water temperatures are moderate, requiring only a normal wetsuit in the colder months, and there are few rocks to watch out for. Currents can be strong too.

An indication of Sumner's shallow conditions


Cave Rock, an unusual volcanic formation on Sumner Beach, is called "Tuawera" by Māori, who say that it represents the carcass of a legendary whale that washed up on the beach

View of the Sumner Bar on a fine day