Ocean Swim Series - Multi-event pass

The Ocean Swim Series multi-event pass brings open water swimming across various coastal locations in New Zealand, gathering sea courses into a unified season. Organized by The Event Crew Ltd, the series runs across several iconic venues under the banner of the Banana Boat New Zealand Ocean Swim Series, sponsored by fresh produce company T&G Global. In Auckland at Mission Bay, the Bean Rock Swim strikes straight into the waters of the Waitematā Harbour. Swimmers line up on the sandy shore facing the harbor channel, where the long-distance multi-pass features the 3.4-kilometer Full Bean out to the Bean Rock Lighthouse and back, while the mid-distance route tackles the 1.7-kilometer Half Bean.

Sighting the lighthouse across open water sets an immediate maritime tone for the summer journey. Heading north, the tour stops at Long Beach in Russell for the Roberton Island Hop. Here, the multi-pass presents either the full 4.4-kilometer crossing or the 2.2-kilometer mid-distance half course. In past editions, classic courses in this region have reversed their line between Paihia Beach and Russell, even sending swimmers across the bay in a twilight swim. The aquatic terrain shifts inland to Rotorua at Lake Tikitapu, known as the Blue Lake. Long-distance entrants swim the 3.5-kilometer Round The Lake course, while the mid-distance pass takes on the 1.5-kilometer RotoVegas route through fresh, buoyant water.

From the lakes, the series returns to the Pacific swells of Whangamatā for the The Whanga Swim, where participants navigate around the Whenuakura Islands over a 3.8-kilometer long course or a 2-kilometer Island Cruise. The season draws to a close on the calm waters of Lake Karapiro during the Ocean Swim Series - Lake Karapiro SwimFEST, featuring 3.5-kilometer and 2.5-kilometer options.

Waitematā Harbour: flooded river valleys and volcanic peaks

The Auckland stop immerses swimmers in a distinctive landscape where Auckland rests on an isthmus between the Waitematā Harbour on the Pacific Ocean and the Manukau Harbour on the Tasman Sea. The marine playground spreads out into the Hauraki Gulf, dotted with islands that serve both as residential suburbs and protected nature sanctuaries. Entering these harbor waters connects each stroke to the broad maritime corridor separating New Zealand's eastern and western seas. The harbor itself is a flooded river system shaped by ancient geologic upheavals. Around 145,000 years ago, eruptions from the Albert Park volcano sent lava flows across the land, damming the Waihorotiu Stream and creating a swamp where the freshwater reached the Waitematā Harbour. What was once an ancient tributary of the Waitemata River now lies completely submerged beneath rising sea levels, forming the bed of the modern harbor. By late summer, sea temperatures reach their seasonal peak, offering comfortable open water swimming across the tidal reaches.

Auckland waterfront and Viaduct Basin: boatyards and maritime heritage

The Viaduct Basin was originally designed as a lighter basin for cargo ships moored in the central channel before serving for most of the twentieth century as the primary hub for the local fishing fleet. The surrounding waterfront carries deep shipbuilding roots, starting in Freeman's Bay in 1864 with Donald McInnis's first schooner. Between 1863 and 1908, local shipbuilder C Gouk raised more than sixty shipwrecks from nearby waters, while during World War II the Beaumont Street yard turned out minesweepers including the Hinau, Manuka, Rimu, and Tawhai. Today, the historic Percy Vos boatyard from 1937 remains preserved along Hamer Street by the Maritime Museum. This shoreline has long cultivated New Zealand's swimming pioneers.

At the nearby Tepid Baths, pools originally filled with salt water pumped straight from the Waitematā Harbour were later converted to freshwater. Custodian Malcolm Champion, an accomplished swimmer, famously commuted across the harbor to his North Shore home by swimming the open channel. The sailing heritage of the harbor is equally visible near the New Zealand Maritime Museum, where the historic racing yacht KZ1 stands proudly on display.

Mission Bay and Tamaki Drive: pōhutukawa and beachfront promenades

The shoreline curves along the popular promenade of Tamaki Drive. Walkers, joggers, and cyclists share the waterfront boulevard, looking out over the blue expanse of the Waitematā Harbour toward the symmetrical cone of Rangitoto Island. Directly behind the sand, the green lawn of Selwyn Reserve is shaded by mature pōhutukawa trees that burst into vibrant crimson flowers around Christmas. The beachfront features notable civic landmarks and historical traces. The Trevor Moss Davis Memorial Fountain, sculpted from Sicilian marble, catches the eye and illuminates the waterfront with shifting colors after dusk. The beachfront area carries a settlement history stretching back to the 1800s, with visible remnants of World War II coastal fortifications still embedded along the surrounding coastline.

After swimming, local shore culture takes over the afternoon. Sitting on the grass of Selwyn Reserve with paper-wrapped parcels of fish and chips is an enduring beachside tradition for both locals and traveling athletes. Ice cream parlors along the promenade stay busy through the summer heat, while restaurants such as Azabu occupy heritage stone buildings right on the beachfront.