Four Days and Flying – Jono Breaks Under 250km to Go

Jono Ridler has delivered a fourth consecutive day of sustained effort, banking another 25km on Wednesday, 18 March and taking the four-day total to more than 100 kilometres since weather last held the team ashore.

Now more than 80% of the way through the journey, Jono has swum 1,133.3km of the 1,365km approximate expected total – the equivalent of around 33 English Channels or 49 Cook Strait crossings. The projected distance to go to reach Wellington is down to 232km.  

Wednesday was another eight-hour-plus day in the water (8h 14m), as the crew continue to make the most of a settled weather window and track rapidly south down the coastline towards Herbertville with Castlepoint coming into view in the distance.  

Departing Pōrangahau, Jono entered the water at 8am for a challenging morning swim, with jellyfish making their presence felt immediately. 

“There were these barbed-wire jellyfish hanging around the surface,” he said. “For the first hour I was quite anxious, lifting my head and trying to avoid them and I got a few buzzes to the face.” 

But what followed was something very different. 

“At about the one-hour mark I started hearing this high-pitched noise and it quickly became obvious it was dolphins.” 

“I duck-dived down at one point and there were about ten of them swirling up towards the surface with me. One came really close – we were looking straight into each other’s eyes. It was a pretty special connection.” 

Reflecting on the moment, he added: “I think what we miss with what’s out here – this gift that we have – is the value of connection. I just wish more people could have the experiences like I have had this morning so that we could make decisions about the future of our ocean in a very different way.” 

On the water, conditions remained favourable. “Beautiful day, small following breeze and good progress,” said On-Water Lead Andy Tuke mid-morning. 

But he also reflected on a tougher moment earlier in the week, a reminder of the toll this effort is taking. 

“On a day like today, the sun’s out, but it’s still cool,” said On-Water Lead Andy Tuke. “The other night, coming into Pourerere, that swim went downhill for Jono in that last session. 

“We can only imagine what’s going through his mind, he’s got all that time inside his head, five hours in the water, temperatures down below 16 degrees. He must be thinking, ‘I’ve still got a long way to go… how am I going to handle this? Am I going to make it?’ 

“When he got out he was in a pretty dejected state. There was a nice crowd there to welcome him in, and unlike Jono, he was just curled up on the boat. We told him people were there and he didn’t even respond, which is really unlike him.” 

Back on schedule, the team shortened the midday break at Whangaehu Beach to maximise daylight hours in the water. 

“To get eight-plus hours of swimming in, something has to give, and that’s the rest,” Jono said. “No naps – just a quick recharge and back out.” 

The timing is also strategic. “To avoid the stingers, they tend to drop down during the day and come back up in the evening, so we’re working within that window as best we can.” 

The afternoon swim continued the strong momentum, with current and a light following breeze helping push him south. 

By evening, the team had rounded Te Aho a Māui Cape Turnagain and set their sights further down the coast. 

“We’ve had four really good days of swimming despite the cold and the jellyfish,” said Water Safety Lead Ben Goffin. “We’re flying down the coast now, Castlepoint is in sight.” 

Jono and the crew came ashore just north of Herbertville and is expected back in the water tomorrow, with a potential rest day on the horizon Friday depending on conditions. 

Public support continues to build behind the mission, with more than 31,000 people now backing the Swim4TheOcean call for action to move away from destructive bottom trawling. 

Follow Jono’s progress on the live tracker and add your name at Swim4TheOcean. 

Projected distance to go: 232.1km

Total distance covered: 1,133.3km 

Swims at a glance – 18 March 

Swim 1

Time: 4 hours   
Distance: 12.64km 
Average speed: 3.2km/h 

Swim 2

Time: 4 hours 14 mins  
Distance: 12.49km 
Average speed: 3.0km/h