Magic Carpet Ride Across Palliser Bay

Jono’s Swim4TheOcean made strong progress across Palliser Bay, taking full advantage of a favourable current to cut close to 20km distance off the journey to Wellington – leaving under 30km to go.

In a tight window where current was the defining factor, the team opted for a single, high-impact swim yesterday (Wednesday, 1 April). And it paid off. 

The day began with a coordinated, split-base operation;

“This morning was quite a military operation,” the crew said.

“Lea and I got up early and left Worser Bay Yacht Club at 5:30 to get out to the start point in the StabiX. The IRB crew came out from Ngawi with Jono in the Streaker II, the crayfishing boat we launched from yesterday. We all met at the start point, got Jono prepped, and he was swimming right on 8am as planned.”

From the outset, the pace was exceptional. 

At the end of the day Jono said; “That first hour we got a really good tidal assistance – I think it was 5.2km in the first hour and across that five hour 20 minute stretch I managed to cover about 20km so a great day out on the water.”

By halfway across Palliser Bay the cape’s lighthouse was starting to fade into the distance.

“We’re a long way off Cape Palliser now,” said Ben Goffin.

“Jono’s swimming really well. First hour he absolutely smashed it – the Garmin was reading 5.41km/h. The current’s shifted onto his starboard side now so he’s slowed slightly, but he’s still making brilliant progress. Beautiful day, and we’re just trying to make it as far as we can.”

The swim leg finished at 1.23pm just to the east of Tuakirae headland.

“We stopped because the tide was starting to go the other way. And there’s a very strong tide coming around that headland,” Jono explained.

“The plan for tomorrow – we’re back out there and the plan is to get ourselves somewhat into Wellington Harbour and set ourselves up really nicely for Friday and Saturday.

“All things are looking really good at the moment – there is a bit of wind coming up – I don’t think the challenges are quite over yet. There could be some water swallowing going on with tomorrow’s swim. But I’m pumped and we’re really feeling like we are making this happen.”

In total, Jono knocked 20km off the rapidly shrinking distance to go – a decisive push that’s helped break the back of Palliser Bay and set up the final phase of the mission.

With momentum building and the finish line drawing closer, the focus now turns to the next two-day window to drive progress t oward the capital.His arrival into Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington has now been confirmed for Saturday 4 April. It will be exactly 90 days after he started at Waikuku Beach, North Cape.

Arrival date: Saturday, 4 April  

Time: Jono will swim in at midday    

Arrival location: Whairepo Lagoon, central Wellington 

Following his extraordinary three-month journey, Jono will complete the mission with a walk to Parliament, where he will be met by the Hon Tama Potaka, in a symbolic moment marking the delivery of his message to decision-makers.

The message, backed by a growing wave of public support, is an ask for decision makers to commit to end bottom trawling. More than 57,500 people have now signed the call for action.

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

Projected distance to go: 29.27km 

Total distance covered: 1336.47km

Swim at a glance – 31 March  

Swim 1 

Time:  5 hours 23 minutes 
Distance: 19.99km 
Average speed: 3.7km/h