He has called his epic journey Wayne’s Audacious Kayak Adventure – WAKA.
The keen outdoors enthusiast set out from North Cape – the country’s northernmost point – 35 days ago and reckons he should get to Bluff in another two months.
“My body’s holding up well, though I have lost 8 kilograms in weight,” he told the Gisborne Herald.
“I’m having an absolute ball, and apart from being pinned down on the Coromandel for a couple of days by bad weather, it’s been pretty good sea- and weather-wise so far.
He opted to stay longer in Gisborne with friends and sit out the southerly change that came through.
“I’ve not seen a single dolphin, whale or any other sizeable marine life so far, which is a bit disappointing.
“I did see a small shark off Tolaga Bay, about 3-feet long, that seemed more frightened of me than I was of it.”
Wayne Jones about to set off from the marina on the next leg of his length-of-the-country fundraising paddle.
He stayed in Gisborne on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights, and paddled off across Turanganui-a-Kiwa/Poverty Bay this (Friday) morning bound for his next scheduled stopover at Mahia.
“The only real problem I’ve had so far was someone nicked my $800 carbon fibre paddle when I was staying at Te Kaha. I’ve been using my spare one and I purchased a new one off a manufacturer in Gisborne while I was here.”
He chose to raise money for SLSNZ because “I’ve always had a lot of respect for surf lifesavers. They do a wonderful job”.
His journey can be followed on the Facebook page Wayne’s Audacious Kayak Adventure (you need to join the group).
Donations can be made to the account number T R Smyth 010-190-0470029-00 or to Surf Life Saving NZ 12-3192-0043390-01. Make WAKA the reference.