Set to arrive in Wellington on 4 April, the mission will conclude with a walk to Parliament, backed by nearly 60,000 supporters calling to end bottom trawling.
Set for the Penultimate Push
By Live Ocean
3 April '26
Read time: 3 min
Article Summary
Main Points
Jono has reached the entrance to Wellington Harbour after a strong double-swim day, covering nearly 18km and positioning himself just south of Barrett Reef.
With less than 13km remaining, the finish is now within touching distance as he prepares for the final day of his 90-day journey.
Jono Ridler has positioned himself at the threshold of Wellington Harbour, wrapping day two of a final push just south of Barrett Reef and setting up for the penultimate day of Swim4TheOcean.
With the finish drawing closer, Jono was back out into Palliser Bay at dawn on 2 April, focused on reducing the distance to go. Entering the water to the east of Tuakirae Head at 8:06am, and challemged with unpredictable currents, he put together a strong three-and-a-half-hour swim, covering 11.4km at a pace of 3.3km/h.
Later in the day, he and the team went again for a second push. Just under two hours in the water added a further 6.25km, with Jono finishing the swim just on 7pm.
By the end of the day, the Swim4TheOcean live tracker shows Jono completed that second swim at the centre of the outer entrance to Wellington Harbour, just to the south of Barrett Reef.
He now has less than 13km projected distance remaining, with 1,354.12km behind him as he prepares for day 89 of his 90-day, unassisted staged swim down the entire east coast of the North Island.
With momentum building and the finish line drawing closer, the focus now turns to the next two-day window to drive progress toward 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. Almost 60,000 people have now signed the call for action – pushing well beyond the initial target of 50,000 – with more signatures expected.
Follow Jono’s progress on the live tracker and add your name at Swim4TheOcean.
Projected distance to go: 12.71km
Total distance covered: 1,354.12km
Swims at a glance – 2 April
Swim 1
Time: 3 hours 25 minutes
Distance: 11.41km
Average speed: 3.3km/h
Swim 2
Time: 1 hours 50 minutes
Distance: 6.25km
Average speed: 3.4km/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
84,905 others calling for an end to bottom trawling!
84,905 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!
Leave your message for Jono
