# List of Cook Strait crossings by sea

This is a list of notable crossings of the Cook Strait by sea.

## First crossings

| Date | Crossing | Participant(s) | Craft | Departure point Arrival point | Notes |
| 1843 | First steamship | | SS Clio | North Island Picton | |
| 23 February 1890 | First canoe | George Parkes and James Parkes | 2 x Rob Roy-style canoes | Mana Island Picton | Both canoes were fitted with lug sails. |
| 13 January 1895 | First canoe (solo) | H.V. Shearman | Rob Roy-style canoe | Paremata, Porirua Picton | Also sail-assisted. Shearman was 16 years old. |
| 23 March 1962 | First kayak | Irvin Openshaw | self-built kayak | Mākara Beach Perano Head, Arapaoa Island | Crossing took 5 hours, 15 minutes. |
| 17 January 1963 | First waterskiers | Wayne Davidson, Gordon Hanna, and Michael Taylor | Waterskis | Mākara Beach The Brothers Rocks | The three skiers were towed behind two boats. |
| 24 January 1978 | First windsurfers | Grant Beck, Susie Gibbs and Chris Wylie | 3 x windsurfers | Cape Terawhiti Tory Channel | Crossing was the subject of a short documentary by Sam Neill. |
| 3 February 1978 | First surf ski | Alexander McKenzie | Surf ski | North Island South Island | While accompanying younger sister Meda McKenzie on her first swim across Cook Strait. |
| 17 March 1981 | First rower | John Argue | Skiff | Anakiwa Petone, Lower Hutt | Total distance rowed was 90 km (56 mi). |
| 28 March 1984 | First surf ski (double crossing) | Alexander McKenzie | Surf ski | North Island South Island | While accompanying sister Meda on her double swim across Cook Strait. |
| 28 March 1984 | First surf ski (double crossing) | Alexander McKenzie | Surf ski | South Island North Island | While accompanying sister Meda on her double swim across Cook Strait. |
| 12 January 1986 | Smallest yacht | Gavin Brady | P-class sailing dinghy | Mana Island Picton | Dinghy was 2.13 m (7.0 ft) long. Gavin was 12 years old, and escorted on the crossing by his parents' 13 m (43 ft) trimaran. |
| 18 April 1987 | First hovercraft | Stephen Preest | Self-built hovercraft | Picton Plimmerton | First crossing and double crossing. |
| 18 April 1987 | First hovercraft | Stephen Preest | Self-built hovercraft | Plimmerton Picton | First crossing and double crossing. |
| 29 January 2008 | Fastest amphibious vehicle | David McKee Wright and Brendon Hodge | Sealegs 6.1m Sport RIB | Arapaoa Island, Marlborough Sounds Ōwhiro Bay, Wellington | Made the 40 km (25 mi) voyage in 47 minutes. |
| 6 September 2008 | First van | Adam Turnbull and Dan Melling | Roofliss | Waikawa, Marlborough Mana, Porirua | The converted 1990 4WD Toyota Tarago van could reach speeds of 5 kn (9.3 km/h). |
| 27 September 2012 | Fastest crossing | Warren Lewis and Chris Hanley | NZ1 Skater catamaran | Wellington Picton | Passage took 1 hour, 33 minutes. The offshore powerboat was fitted with two 525 hp (391 kW) engines. |
| 27 March 2021 | First kite foilers | Justin Groblar and Brian Walters | Kite foils | Mākara Beach Perano Head | First crossing and double crossing. |
| 27 March 2021 | First kite foilers | Justin Groblar and Brian Walters | Kite foils | Perano Head Mākara Beach | First crossing and double crossing. |
| 31 March 2021 | First hydrofoil bike | Hayden Reeves | Manta5 Hydrofoiler XE-1 | South Island North Island | Hybrid powered hydrofoil. |
| 1 November 2021 | First rower (double crossing) | Pam Dickson | Rowing scull | Mākara Beach Perano Head | Dickson had previously swum Cook Strait. |
| 1 November 2021 | First rower (double crossing) | Pam Dickson | Rowing scull | Perano Head Oteranga Bay | Dickson had previously swum Cook Strait. |
| 16 April 2024 | First prone paddleboarder | Brittany Spencer | Paddleboard | Waikawa, Marlborough Ohau Point, Wellington | Journey took four hours, eight minutes. |