Circum kayaker Tim Taylor stopped for lunch today at the Wharariki Stream mouth at the very top end of the South Island, and near the landward end of Farewell Spit.

Farewell Spit is about 30km long, and Tim has to go round it to enter Golden Bay, which will take him off the open ocean for the first time since he re-crossed Foveaux Strait mid February.

Tim Taylor.

The Windfinder website indicates Tim may have paddled ashore at the remote surf break after encountering headwinds which are expected to ease overnight and become a tail wind tomorrow.

The Metservice marine forecast for sea area Stephens is for a 25 knot south easterly to ease to 15 knots this afternoon, and to become variable 10 knots early tomorrow morning.

A 15 knot westerly is expected to develop tomorrow afternoon, rising to 25 knots later.

Friday's outlook is for a 25 knot southwesterly in the west, easing Friday night to 15 knots and early Saturday variable 10 knots.

The north side of Farewell Spit is exposed to the Tasman Sea.

The southern side has about 80 square kilometres of tidal flats, which are considered wetlands of international significance.

It is also an area that features in many reports of whale strandings.