A professional Australian surfer is paddling the west coast of the North Island with the aim of drawing attention to what he believes is a massive threat to the coastal environment.
Dave Rastovich is protesting against proposed seabed mining by paddling a 5.1m board from Taranaki's Cape Egmont to Piha beach west of Auckland.
He is talking with coastal communities and towns along the way.
Mr Rastovich says proposals such as the one to mine ironsands off the coast of south Taranaki will create dead zones that destroy the marine ecoystem and surf breaks.
He aims to arrive at Piha on 1 December.
