23/3/2011 :

Tauranga kayaker Tim Taylor’s epic paddle around New Zealand has been boosted by “amazing” West Coast weather and the great hospitality he’s received from locals.

That’s according to his mother Lyn Taylor, part of Tim’s support crew, who has just returned from the Coast.

She says highlights have been meeting global adventurer and West Coast kayaker Paul Caffyn, and Greymouth Mayor Tony Kokshorn, who found time to catch up with Tim.

At the same time, the southern waters have thrown some real challenges at the young long-distance kayaker. One of his scariest capsizes so far happened as he paddled into Ross on Saturday, Lyn Taylor says. Although he was relatively close to shore and didn’t need to summon help, he was violently up ended and left swimming for around ten minutes.

She says Tim is now heading for another milestone – Westport – as he paddles up the West Coast towards Nelson.

Tim is now well past the half way mark in his voyage of around 5,500 kms, aiming to be the first to circumnavigate the country in one continuous trip.

He is nearly four months into his huge paddle, after setting out from Waimarino Adventure Park on the Wairoa River in Tauranga, on November 27th .

ENDS

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