weather and tides in abel tasman

Abel Tasman Weather

Here in the Abel Tasman National Park we can boast some of New Zealand's best weather. Thanks to our temperate maritime climate we typically experience warm fine summers and cool but not cold winters. We usually get around 2400 sunshine hours per year, so pack your sunscreen!

Come kayaking with us in summer and you'll see that our golden beaches get busy in these months. On average you can expect the temperature to range from 13C to a balmy 24C (55F -75F). The water temperature typically reaches a comfortable 18C (65F).

The spring, autumn and winter months are generally calmer and quieter, and great for wildlife and photography. The average daily temperatures in winter range from 4C (39F) - 12C (54F) and on a crisp sunny day the kayaking can be beautiful. The water is 14C (58F).

Rainfall tends to fall quite evenly throughout the year and you should be prepared for winds to occur at any time. Poor weather can affect kayaking itineraries and timing so plan your visit but be flexible if you can and get in touch with any questions you might have about your Able Tasman kayaking adventure.

Abel Tasman Tides

There is a large tidal range along the Abel Tasman coast so it's important that you take tides into consideration when planning a kayaking journey. You can expect the tides here to rise and fall by around 5 metres (15 feet).

All the beautiful tidal lagoons in Abel Tasman are generally able to be safely accessed by kayak within 2 hours either side of high tide. Outside of that, the blue waters recede to golden sand.

If you're walking the coastal track and need to cross these estuaries, it's even more important that you time your walk to coincide with the tides. 2 hours either side of low tide gives a comfortable safety margin.

Tides vary eachcday so to determine tide times for a given date in Abel Tasman, use the tide times for Nelson but subtract 20 minutes. If you need any help planning your trip around the tides contact us or choose one of our guided kayak tours. We're happy to help.