There is a logical question that comes up: why launch from the city side when the factory is on the north side. The honest answer is that the Birkenhead side has no suitable public launch with vehicle access close to Chelsea Bay, and the marina at Westhaven is purpose built for boats and kayaks getting on and off the water quickly.
Launching from Westhaven also means the harbour bridge crossing happens at the start of the tour when paddlers are fresh, rather than at the end when arms are tired. The route flow works better as Westhaven out, factory stop, Westhaven back.
Westhaven sits between the central city and the harbour bridge, on the southern side of the harbour. By car you reach it from the Westhaven Drive exit off the Northern Motorway or directly from the city via Fanshawe Street. There is paid public parking close to the launch site, and a fifteen minute walk from the city if you would rather not drive.
Cruise passengers can usually get a short taxi or rideshare from the Princes Wharf cruise terminal in under ten minutes, which makes the trip viable on a port day. Public transport works too, with the West Auckland buses running close along Fanshawe Street.
When you arrive at the launch site, your guide will run through the safety briefing, fit your buoyancy aid, and demonstrate the basics of paddling a double sea kayak. None of this is intimidating. It is a fifteen minute walk through that gives you the confidence to push off the beach without feeling thrown in.
We provide the kayak, the paddle, the buoyancy aid, and dry bags for your phone and wallet. You bring the clothes you can paddle in and a sun hat. The kit up step is also when we pair stronger paddlers with people who would like a little more support, which makes the doubles a more even ride for everyone.
The first ten to fifteen minutes of the paddle is inside the marina itself. You wind past super yachts, classic wooden cruisers, racing yachts, and the working berths of the local sailing schools. The water inside the marina is glass calm even on a breezy day, which makes it a perfect warm up before you reach the open harbour.
Marina users have right of way for motor boats moving in the channels, so the guide will sometimes pause the group for a passing vessel. It is part of the experience, not a problem. You will leave Westhaven knowing the marina far better than most Aucklanders do.
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