SailingAlonevideo
Treacherous Tasman Sea – alone with breaking bars and chaotic waves
6 February 2026 · 14 min · 24K views · Tasmanische See
Sailboat heeling sharply in Tasman Sea's steep waves
What this video covers
A solo sailor aboard the ketch Reike departs Nelson Harbour to circumnavigate New Zealand's North Island after abandoning a South Island plan when forecasts showed no wind and persistent headwinds for Fiordland.2:26 The pivot decision takes minutes; the Tasman Sea passage proves punishing. Steep 3-meter waves arriving every five seconds force heavy reefing with storm jib and minimal mainsail; extreme heel makes eating impossible.3:07 A diesel heater exhaust routed through the hull floods the bilge with saltwater and engine oil.4:25 The spray hood cracks, a wind generator bracket loses two rivets, and a photo flies off the cabin wall at night.6:34 Crossing breaking sand bars into the North Island's large harbors — the Manukau and the far more difficult Kaipara, the largest natural harbor in the Southern Hemisphere — demands precise tidal timing: the Manukau entrance at high water on a flood tide, the Kaipara at first light after anchoring offshore overnight to avoid a dangerous ebb-against-swell combination.10:12 Depths at Kaipara shallow to under two meters.10:12 Rounding North Cape against a sandbank, building 5-meter swell, and strong counter-current requires motoring through.13:36 Reike enters the Pacific at dawn.13:39
More from SailingAlone
From SailingAlone — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analysed video.
The Sailing Directory Newsletter
One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.