Joel Buckley is an outdoor instructor who kayaked around the North Island solo and self-supported. He talks through how the idea formed early, what finally pushed him to commit, and how little he really understood about the scale of the challenge at the start. He shares about long paddle days, rough West Coast weather windows, gear failures and well as highs - like paddling with a baby dolphin in the Coromandel and the generosity of strangers. Joel had 67 paddle days in his 122-day expedition, and shares how daily distances ranged from 30km to 80km, and how he decided when it was safe to paddle. He also had a few close calls, including severe dehydration and a near miss with a ship. Joel shares practical tips for anyone that wants to start sea kayaking or begin longer expeditions.

Abigail & Isaac are kayaking for 1,000km from Cape Reinga to Tauranga in Feb-Mar 2026 to raise $20,000 for mental health and the ocean. Join the community to follow our journey closely, donate or paddle with us.

👉 slowpaddle.nz

Thank you so much for tuning in and coming along for the ride. If you love the show and enjoyed listening, please take the time to leave a review on Apple or Spotify. I would also love to connect with you, so send me a DM on Instagram, leave me a voice message and I can’t wait to see you next time. Until then, keep adventuring :)

Follow Joel on Instagram: instagram.com/jtbuckley_outdoors

Email Joel: joelbuckley@gmail.com

Read the Blog: www.abigailhannah.nz

Follow Abigail on Instagram: instagram.com/abigailhannnah/

Follow Abigail on TikTok: tiktok.com/@abigailhannnah/

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Verity Jackson has been tramping across New Zealand for decades and joining a tramping club opened up off track travel, navigation skills and lifelong friendships. Actively blogging and documenting her tramps online, Verity has bagged over 350 huts, a mix of easy-accessible hut and remote bivvys. She started 2025 with a goal to bag 25 huts, but halfway through the year, Verity was diagnosed with vulva cancer. Surgery, recovery and uncertainty followed, but tramping became a way to rebuild confidence and keep moving forward. Verity reflects on resilience, the healing power of the outdoors, caring for New Zealand’s huts, and why she no longer puts adventures off for "someday". She finished the year doubling her hug bagging goal, despite the challenges along the way.

Abigail & Isaac are kayaking for 1,000km from Cape Reinga to Tauranga in Feb-Mar 2026 to raise $20,000 for mental health and the ocean. Join the community to follow our journey closely, donate or paddle with us.👉 slowpaddle.nz

Thank you so much for tuning in and coming along for the ride. If you love the show and enjoyed listening, please take the time to leave a review on Apple or Spotify. I would also love to connect with you, so send me a DM on Instagram, leave me a voice message and I can’t wait to see you next time. Until then, keep adventuring :)

Follow Verity on Instagram: instagram.com/nzhikingadventures

www.nzhikingadventures.com

Buy trail cloth: www.nzhikingadventures.com/category/all-products

Bag your huts: hutbagger.co.nz

Read the Blog: www.abigailhannah.nz

Follow Abigail on Instagram: instagram.com/abigailhannnah/

Follow Abigail on TikTok: tiktok.com/@abigailhannnah/

Get my NZ Map & Guide

This episode was originally published on Kiwi Yarns with Brodie Kane.

Today’s guest has a job that, on the surface, many would describe as a "dream job" and say, "oh, how lucky!"While there’s no denying that the titles “travel blogger,” “travel writer,” and “travel photographer” have a certain allure, Abigail Hannah’s backstory is truly fascinating.Born in Aotearoa, Abigail spent most of her childhood growing up in rural India, a place that felt like home. She later returned to New Zealand alone to begin her studies, and was diagnosed with depression some months afterwards.Abigail shares her experience of navigating one of the darkest periods of her life, and how falling in love with New Zealand - by reconnecting with nature - changed the course of her life. | Subscribe: https://bit.ly/2JPg8oBRead more:For full coverage visit www.Stuff.co.nzSubscribe to our channel: https://bit.ly/2JPg8oB

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