The following brief history of sea kayaking, refers to European-style canoes and kayaks. Elsdon Best’s classic treatise The Maori Canoe, first published in 1925 and reprinted in 1976, contains detailed descriptions of the construction and types of vessels used by the Maori.
[Source: Paul Caffyn / KASK Hand book.]
George Park, an enthusiastic member of the Hokitika Club, who built up paddling experience on the West Coast between Okarito and Greymouth, built two Rob Roy style canoes, Mermaid and Sunbeam. He and … 1890 Read More »
The modern era of sea kayaking in fibreglass Eskimo style kayaks began in 1977 with the arrival of the first Nordkapp mould in New Zealand. It was imported by Grahame Sisson for … 1977 Read More »
The following summer, Paul completed a solo trip around the North Island, finishing with a three hour crossing of Cook Strait. The story was published as Cresting the Restless Waves in … 1978-1979 Read More »
The first unsupported, solo trip around the South Island was completed at Picton, on 5 February 1996, by Colorado paddler Brian Roberts. His trip took 86 days, with 55 days … 1995-96 Read More »
Chris Duff, author of On Celtic Tides, completed an unsupported South Island solo paddle from 5 December 1999 to 16 April 2000, also starting at Picton. His account of the trip, … 1999-2000 Read More »
The summer of 2007-08 was a big one for South Island circumnavigations with two solo paddlers and one duo from Britain completing South Island unsupported circumnavigations. Although Babs Lindman had … 2007 Read More »
Kiwi father and daughter team, Max and Melanie Grant launched from Jackson Bay on 29 April 2007, and over a series of stages, completed the first anti-clockwise circuit of the … 2007-2010 Read More »
Swedish solo paddler Babs Lindman left Picton on 22 December 2007 and completed an unsupported, solo circumnavigation of the South Island on 24 March 2008, the first natural blonde to … 2007-2008 Read More »
British couple Justine Curgenven and Barry Shaw launched from Sumner on 26 January 2008. Their trip took a total of 67 days with 20 days off for weather and six … 2008 Read More »
Tim Taylor launched form Waimarino, near Tauranga, on 27 November 2010 aiming to complete a first solo continuous circumnavigation of our three islands. He came ever so close to achieving … 2010-2012 Read More »
Following a three month paddle through Fiordland, Tara Mulvany set off with Sim Griggs in May 2012 to paddle around the South Island in winter. Massive surf off the Heaphy … 2012 Read More »
On 17 December 2013, Tara paddled north across Cook Strait and began a clockwise solo circumnavigation of the North Island. She had to deal with ‘house sized’ breakers off the … 2013-14 Read More »
Lynn (Red) Paterson set off from Takapuna on 27 October 2015 for a clockwise circuit of the three main islands, accompanied by a shore-based support crew. Lynn completed her full circumnavigation at Takapuna on 31 December 2016. Her trip took 432 days from start to finish.
Fiona Weatherall and James Corfe (UK) set off from Auckland’s east coast on 30 November 2016, and paddled clockwise around the island, completing their un-supported paddle on 7 March 2017.
Fiona Weatherall and James Corfe completed an unsupported South Island paddle on 24 February 2015 taking 79 days.