Paul Caffyn


Paul Caffyn is a sea kayaker based in Runanga on the West Coast of New Zealand. He has completed a number of supported, unsupported, solo and group expeditions by sea kayak in various locations around the world. He has been described as follows by John Dowd:

Caffyn was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2012 [New Year Honours |2012 New Year Honours], for services to sea kayaking and water safety.

Expeditions

The expedition around the South Island started as an expedition along the Fiordland coast with fellow paddler Max Reynolds. Caffyn continued solo and with ground support to complete the circumnavigation in 76 days.
Caffyn sea kayaked solo around the North Island, with ground party support. The circumnavigation took 86 days, after which Caffyn undertook a crossing of Cook Strait by sea kayak.
The expedition around Stewart Island was done with Max Reynolds, August and September 1979. This expedition departed from Bluff, New Zealand starting with a crossing of Foveaux Strait.
Caffyn and Nigel Dennis circumnavigated Great Britain by sea kayak in 85 days.
  • 1981/82 Circumnavigation of Australia
  • 1985 solo circumnavigation of the four main islands of Japan
  • 1991 completed the first solo sea kayak trip along the entire coastline of Alaska
  • 1997 Circumnavigation of New Caledonia
  • Two attempts to cross the Tasman Sea by sea kayak
  • 2001/2002 Circumnavigation of Phuket