A Christchurch man is believed to be the first New Zealander to cross Cook Strait on a stand-up paddle board.
On Monday, Shayne Baxter, 32, paddled 29 kilometres across the strait.
The New Brighton man said the trip took three hours and 36 minutes.
Baxter, who took up stand-up paddle-boarding in 2005, left Christchurch at 2am on Monday to drive to Picton. He then took a jet-ski ride with a friend out to the start of the strait.
Even though he fell only once, the paddle-board journey was exhausting, Baxter said.
"You got halfway and it didn't seem like the land was getting any closer," he said.
Enthusiasts stand on a large surfboard while using a one-bladed paddle.
Baxter has been invited to join the Association of Surfing Professionals stand-up paddle world tour next year.
He undertook the strait challenge to raise "awareness of stand-up paddling" and help find sponsorship.
Nick Mooney, who accompanied Baxter on the crossing, said the sport was starting to take off in Christchurch. "It's been picked up by the general public quite a bit as a few celebrities have been snapped hanging around with stand-up paddle boards."
