Tag: top 7 solo overnight camps

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21. North Island Circumnavigation Statistics

Total Distance                                               2859.6 kilometers

Total Paddle Days                                        78

Average Kilometres per Paddle Day        36.7km

Overall Average Speed                                    6.0km/hr

Longest Paddle Day (distance) :  74 kilometres (Glinks Gully to Waimamaku River)

Longest Paddle Day (time) :   11 hours 27 minutes (Muriwai Beach to Glinks Gully)

Greatest Distance from Shore :    11 kilometres (Palliser Bay)

Most Difficult Surf : Muriwai Beach / Ripiro Beach (Kaipara Coast)

Most Challenging Coast : Wairarapa ( Aramoana to Ngawi)

Most Challenging Paddle : Maunganui Bluff to Tapotupotu

Strongest Tidal Stream : Cape Maria van Diemen (13.2km/hr)

Top 7 Paddles

  1. Maunganui Bluff to Tapotupotu (Cape Maria van Diemen; Cape Reinga) 46 km
  2. Sandy Bay to Ngawi (Wairarapa) 35km
  3. North Muriwai to Glinks Gully (Kaipara Coast) 70km
  4. Te Araroa to Whareponga (East Coast) 53km
  5. Waihau Bay to Te Araroa (East Bay of Plenty) 55 km
  6. Mahanga to Ahuriri Bay (Mahia Peninsula) 42 km
  7. Flat Point to Sandy Bay (Wairarapa) 46km

Top 7 Solo Overnight Camps

  1. Tom Bowling Bay, Far North
Tom Bowling Bay camp. Remote, great views, good fishing off the rocks. Perfect.
Enjoying the sunset (just before the mossies invaded!!). Spirits Bay around Hooper Point in the distance. Rounding North Cape the next morning.

2. Ahuriri Bay, Mahia Peninsula

On the west side of Ahuriri Point and the start of Hawke Bay. Portland Island in the background. Stunning sunset. Must return!

3. Whareponga Bay, East Coast (between East Cape and Tokomaru Bay)

Whareponga Bay. Spent 3 nights here, weather-bound for 2 of them. Extra tarp proved its worth. Waipiro Bay around the next point. Moutahiauru Island in the distance (top left), two hours paddle away.

4. Port Charles, Coromandel

Beaut sheltered and secluded bay on west side of Port Charles. View through to Motukokopu Island.
Tent on a soft bed of thick grass.

5. Rangitira Beach, North Muriwai

Great view high on the dunes. This is my launch spot for the epic crossing of the Mighty Kaipara Harbour.
Remote Rangitira Beach 4 hours paddle north of last vehicle access at Rimmers Road, Muriwai Beach

6. Maunganui Bluff, 90 Mile Beach

Tucked in behind the dunes at Maunganui Bluff before the most anticipated paddle of the entire adventure. Rounding Capes MVD and Reinga. The only access here is by 4WD or walking down 90 mile beach (or kayak!).
Enjoying the last West Coast sunset over The Bluff before rounding the northern Capes.

7. Mataikona, Wairarapa

Found this sheltered beach tucked in the lee of an offshore reef. Dunes provide tent shelter. Houses at Mataikona in the distance. Castle Rock, 2.5hrs paddle away, can be faintly seen in the distance (end of distant point).

Most Consecutive Solo Overnighters    5 (Te Araroa to Tatapouri)

Total Number of Solo Overnighters                       14