With land operations taking the long route south, the on-water crew camped remotely and are operating self-sufficiently while carefully timing swims around powerful currents.
Remote Coast, Swag Camp: 20km Banked as Swim4TheOcean Pushes South
By Live Ocean
19/02/2026
Read time: 3 min
Article Summary
Main Points
As East Coast communities recover from severe weather, public backing for the mission has surged past 15,000 signatures calling to end bottom trawling.
One long swim added close to 20km to the live tracker, taking Jono Ridler’s Swim4TheOcean total to 722.76km. Yesterday (Wednesday ,18 February) he was in the water for a six-and-a-half-hour stint from 8:00am until 2:30pm, continuing the steady push south.
Departing from Lottin Point, the on-water team farewelled land operations and headed out prepared for a period of self-sufficiency. After the solid effort, the skeleton crew came ashore at a remote beach just south of East Cape, setting up camp for the night, bedding down in swags without the caravan and camper comforts.
Meanwhile, land operations continued the long road journey toward Te Araroa, aiming to reconnect with the swim team further down the coast.
As always, daily swim plans remain fluid. Currents along this stretch of coastline are closely monitored, and start times and durations are adjusted to give Jono the best chance of making forward progress.
The East Coast communities welcoming Swim4TheOcean are among those hardest hit by recent severe weather. In recent years, the region has faced repeated heavy rainfall events and ex-tropical cyclones, including Cyclone Gabrielle, which caused major flooding, slips and long-term road damage.
Late-January/February 2026 heavy rainfall around Te Araroa and Onepoto Bay has been described by locals as worse than Gabrielle in parts, leading to evacuations, saturation and ongoing geotechnical risks and the Waioweka Gorge and roads north of Te Araroa have both experienced closures due to slips.
Climate scientists warn that a warming atmosphere is increasing the intensity of extreme rainfall events, heightening the risk of flooding and infrastructure damage in vulnerable regions like this one. Against that backdrop, the generosity shown to Jono and the team has been especially humbling.
More broadly, Swim4TheOcean supporters marked Tuesday’s halfway milestone by responding to Jono’s call to add their names to the call to end bottom trawling. The tally has now climbed past 15,000 signatures in a strong show of backing as he puts his body on the line for a healthy ocean.
Total distance covered: 722.76km
Yesterday’s swim — at a glance
Swim 1
Time: 6 hours 30 mins
Distance: 19.82km
Average speed: 3km/h
Join The Call To End Bottom Trawling
New Zealand is still bottom trawling seamounts in our own waters, and the only nation still bottom trawling seamounts in the South Pacific high seas.
It’s time to stop being an outlier and protect the ocean’s most vital habitats.
We’re calling on the New Zealand Government to end bottom trawling on all seamounts – at home and in the high seas by the end of 2027 – and to activate a quick transition away from bottom trawling entirely.
We are a nation of innovators and ocean people.
It’s time to do the right thing.
For the ocean. For our future.
Add your name to the
29,544 others calling for an end to bottom trawling!
29,544 others calling for an end to bottom trawling!
Thank you for getting behind Swim4TheOcean’s ambition for a healthy ocean and supporting our call for an end to bottom trawling!
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