Paihia's ocean swimmers greet first dawn of 2022

Ocean swimmers greet the first dawn of 2022 - or maybe they're celebrating seeing the back of 2021 - at Motuarahi Island near Paihia. Photo / Supplied

While many Northlanders were still sleeping off the excesses of New Year's Eve a small but growing band of ocean swimmers greeted the first dawn of 2022 by swimming to an island near Paihia.

The group, which is led by swimming coach Karen Markin, left Paihia's main beach at 6am on Saturday and swam to Motuarahi to watch the sun rise.

They then continued their swim around the island and back to shore, a distance of about 2km, for a shared breakfast.

Markin said this year's conditions were ''the best ever'' with flat, unseasonably warm water and perfect tides. About 35 people took part.

It was the 10th time the group has welcomed the New Year with a dawn swim from Paihia.