Tauranga kayaker Tim Taylor reached Bluff on Thursday after changing plans about kayaking round Stewart Island.

He spent several days at Curio Bay near the Caitlins this week in a frustrating wait for a weather window that would allow a crossing of Foveaux Strait.

Tim Taylor.

On local advice he's decided to round Stewart Island anti-clockwise to take better advantage of the weather patterns.

'He's really happy and pretty positive about getting round,” says his mum Lyn Taylor in Tauranga today.

'From Bluff it's only 34km across and to Tim that's about four hours. Then he can just duck and dive round the bays and just gradually do it as he can.”

Tim arrived in Bluff to a bagpipe welcome arranged by sponsor Back Country Food Ltd, who provide Tim's freeze dried meals.

Tim left Tauranga on November 27 on a mission to become the first person to kayak around New Zealand in a single voyage.