Kayaker to see New Zealand in new light
25 Nov 2010
Tim Taylor, the 23-year-old kayaker who is attempting to make history by completing the first continuous solo circumnavigation of New Zealand, reckons he will get to see his country like no-one else ever has before.
As he inches his way around the 15,134 kilometres of coastline in his standard issue sea kayak, Taylor will get an intimate view of every part of the North, South and Stewart island coasts.
If successful in his continuous circumnavigation, he will also become the youngest person to kayak around any of New Zealand’s three main islands.
Due to leave his home port of Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty on Saturday (27.11.2010) Taylor estimates his 5500km journey will take between three and five months, depending on weather conditions.
Experienced paddler
Tim Taylor first took up kayaking at the age of 12 and is an experienced paddler who trained, raced and coached at Waimarino Adventure Park on the Wairoa River, Tauranga.
He leaves with a send off from Waimarino on Saturday, and says he won’t consider his trip finished until he sets foot back on the ramp at the park.
Taylor will paddle in a clockwise direction around New Zealand to make the most of tidal flows and aims to spend his first night at Pukehina, a popular east coast beach south of Mount Maunganui.
He will cover an estimated 60 to 100km a day, breaking it into two six-hour sessions, pulling into shore for lunch and then either camping on the beach or staying with friends each night.
Having taken a year off to prepare for his journey and secure sponsorship, Taylor says the thing he is looking forward to most is getting started.
"It’s been a long year and I’ve worked hard to get sponsors. I now just want to get going," he said.
Freeze-dried and fresh
Taylor is supported by more than a dozen local, national and international companies including Back Country Cuisine from Invercargill, who have supplied all his freeze-dried food.
He says he will also be eating plenty of fresh fish as he trails a line behind his kayak every day.
Asked what he will look forward to most at the end of the trip Taylor said "a pie".
He says he’ll miss having a shower every night and doesn’t look forward to constantly coping with salt water.
"It gets everywhere and I don’t look forward to spending all summer covered in it," he said.
Taylor will blog regularly during his trip and share his impressions of New Zealand plus video, take photos and record information for the book he intends to write at the end of his adventure.
Google Earth
To monitor his progress he'll carry a GPS device which will record his position on a Google Earth page linked to his website.
Taylor hopes the public will track his journey and share some of the experience by meeting him at major coastal towns along the way. "I'm counting on local people's support and encouragement to help stay motivated," he says.
Despite a recent white-water paddling injury that left him with 32 stitches and chipped front teeth, Taylor is undaunted by the challenge ahead.
He freely admits that he's made many mistakes along the way and is likely to make many more, but reckons what he doesn't know he'll soon learn.
"And then there's the old saying that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
"The thing I’m most looking forward to at the end of the journey is just being with family and friends who have supported me through all this. I’ll just want to thank them and celebrate with them," said Taylor.
More information
Intrepid Kiwi kayaker chasing one-hit record
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