Doesn't understand the currents that can prevail .............last year you needed to set a layline almost to the southern tip of Rotto to allow for the northerly drift - those are the normal conditions you will experience yet two years before, due to unusual and strong NE winds for the week prior, a layline direct or even slightly north of the entrance was what was required .......Those who set a layline expecting the conditions to be "usual" were swept further south and were litrerally swimming due north along the island against the current which was prevailing to reach the entrance .........you need a skipper who understands the weather, wind and currents .........and NO I am not offering......... having skippered for Shelley Taylor-Smith and her team a couple of years back and experiencing the nightmare of some of the worst boat handling I have ever seen, being rammed and watching idiot skippers throwing their boats in reverse without any thought of both the rules and the risks to swimmers I vowed NEVER  again.     

Good luck finding a skipper but please get one who understands the conditions and effects of wind and current as it can add literally miles onto your swim and if they wrongly position you then you will indeed miss the cut-off.

And I have nothing but admiration for those who do this swim!

last year i took advantage of the near perfect conditions and took the family across to rotto on the swim day and i agree with sunshine the things i encountered that day were unbelievable!! i take my hat off to all the rotto swimmers for surviving the swim and its not the sharks you have to worry about its the outboard motors!!.  cheers

not just outboard motors but ferries too!!!

Have hired my boat out the last 2 years for the swim! been 'interesting' thats for sure! Luckily the conditions were pretty good both years.

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