Police have named the missing Wellington Harbour kayaker as Cameron Peter Millar, aged 19, from Hamilton.

The search for Mr Millar will continue tomorrow morning.

Search and rescue team combed land and sea in the hope of finding Mr Millar who tipped overboard near the entrance to Wellington Harbour last night.

Police said Mr Millar went kayaking in the harbour with his partner about 4pm yesterday and they were making their way to Ward Island when they both fell into the water.

His partner, from Lower Hutt, made it to shore to raise the alarm about 6pm.

An extensive marine, aerial and shoreline search got underway soon after he was reported missing last night and continued into the early hours of this morning.

Wellington district police search and rescue coordinator Sergeant Jo Holden said the search resumed at first light.

The man's yellow kayak was found last night on the shore about 6km from Ward Island in the Pencarrow area, Holden said.

A rucksack and paddle has also been found in the channel.

Hamilton police Senior Sergeant Craig Taylor said the man's family were understandably still in shock.

He had lived in Wellington for the past year and had just finished his first year studying, Taylor said.

Searchers took tides, currents and winds into account, as they tried to work out where the man may have drifted to.

They would cover an area including Wellington Harbour and Channel from Point Halswell, Ward Island and Eastbourne, heading south out of the Heads into Fitzroy Bay to the West Ledge including Barrett's Reef, Holden said.

The shoreline search extended from Eastbourne to Pencarrow.

The Wellington Police Maritime Unit, Police Search and Rescue staff, Westpac Rescue Helicopter, Coastguard, Airport Marine Rescue, Surf Lifesaving personnel and Land SAR volunteers were all involved.

Police will tonight be analysing information gathered so far, to ascertain what searches will continue tomorrow morning.