Rower Shaun Quincey is expected to land on 90 Mile Beach tomorrow morning, ending his epic 2200km journey across the Tasman.
Quincey was aiming to come ashore at Ahipara, 14km southeast of Kaitaia, between 6am and noon, ground crew member Oliver Young said.
Friends, family and media had begun to
gather at Ahipara, he said.
Quincey, who set off from New South Wales on January 20 in his 7.3m boat tasman trespasser, has rolled at least twice, broken two oars and come close to running out of fresh water.
Mr Young said he was concerned that a strong current might push Quincey beyond the tip of the North Island.
However, conditions had eased, although the sea remained active, with swells of two to three metres.
Quincey was in high spirits today, he said.
"Some of that might be excitement and adrenaline, because it's the last day. Whatever it is, he sounded much chirpier on the phone."
Quincey, 25, is following in the footsteps of his father, Colin, who rowed across the Tasman in 1977.
- NZPA
