Auckland couple kayak 1000km to raise funds for mental health

Auckland couple Abigail Hannah and Isaac Naylor are kayaking from Cape Reinga to Tauranga to raise funds for mental health and ocean conservation.

Auckland couple Abigail Hannah and Isaac Naylor are tackling 1000km of the country’s east coast in kayaks to raise funds for mental health and ocean conservation.

The pair began their sea-kayak journey - dubbed “The Slow Paddle” - from Tapotupotu Bay near Cape Reinga on February 9.

While they aim to finish in Tauranga around Easter, the couple have no set deadline, preferring to take their time and reconnect to nature and their surroundings.

The idea to raise $20,000 for Lifeline and Sustainable Coastlines was sparked after Hannah suffered a bout of depression seven years ago.

As well as undergoing therapy and taking antidepressants, the 28-year-old said getting outdoors and spending time in nature was helpful for her recovery.

“We were talking about it ... and thought that’d be cool,” she said.

“A year ago, we committed and said summer 2026 we’ll do this - and we’ve been working toward this goal.

“We’re out there to enjoy ourselves; we’re not athletes, we’re not trying to break any records,” she said.

“We want to take it slow and enjoy the country.”

The couple have been training for the joourney at scenic spots such as Milford Sound, Kaikōura, Lake Wakatipu and around Auckland.

Hannah, a travel content creator and podcast host, has put her business on pause for two months while they undertake their mission.

Naylor, 27, has done the same for the Bachelor of Sport and Recreation degree he’s studying at AUT.

They will be self-sufficient in their pink - for Hannah - and yellow kayaks, carrying their own tent, clothing, food, sleeping and cooking gear, along with safety equipment.

Naylor, who grew up in landlocked Nepal, said he’s always been drawn to New Zealand’s “amazing coastline”.

“I’ve been wanting to do a big trip in New Zealand for a while and see the whole country.

“We’ve done a few road trips before, and were thinking about walking the Te Araroa Trail, but we didn’t fancy the hills.

“But as Abigail said, ‘there are no hills on the ocean’.

“In a kayak, you’re a bit more flexible with plans, you can carry food and equipment better than a backpack.”

A recent Government report revealed that New Zealanders in mental distress are waiting longer when they call for help.

Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey said the Government would invest $61.6m to improve the country’s mental health crisis system, and increase the number of frontline clinical staff to speed up crisis assessments.

The funding will also go towards increasing new alternative services to reduce inpatient ward admissions at hospitals, and adding more peer-support workers to emergency departments.

Hannah said she and Naylor want to send the message that it’s okay to embark on an adventure, even if you don’t feel completely “ready”.

“This journey speaks to people living with mental health fatigue, climate anxiety and the quiet sense that they’re watching life pass while waiting to feel ready enough,” she said.

“Just get out there in nature ... nature doesn’t judge you, all the worries in the world melt away, whether you’re tramping, out on the ocean, or sitting on the beach.

“It gives you space to be. That’s why I’ve found it so healing.

“We do have a big mental health problem in New Zealand.

“I want people to know they’re not alone, and it does get better.”

• Visit wwwgivealittle.co.nz if you’d like to donate, or follow their journey through www.slowpaddle.nz.

Jenny Ling is a senior journalist at the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering human interest stories, along with finance, roading, and social issues.