Powered solely by the sun and the wind, five double-hulled vaka will make their way out of Auckland Harbour on Friday evening (April 15th) on the first stage of an extreme expedition that will see them travel 15,000 nautical miles across the Pacific, to raise awareness of environmental issues.

Crew members took part in a farewell ceremony at Auckland’s Market Square today. Watched by invited guests the vakas and voyagers were blessed by the kaumatua and minister Takutai Wikiriwhi and the skippers took part in a kava ceremony. Four of the vaka then sailed a circuit of the Waitemata Harbour as a salute to well wishers.

The traditional 22m-long vaka make up a pan Pacific network of voyaging societies recapturing traditional Pacific voyaging and navigational skills. The network is supported by Okeanos, a German-based philanthropic organisation which promotes the protection of the world’s oceans and marine life.

The five vaka – Gaualofa (Samoa crew), Uto Ni Yalo (Fiji), Haunui (Pan Pacific), Te Matau a Maui (New Zealand) and Hine Moana (Pan Pacific) – will rendezvous with their sister craft - Marumaru Atua (Cook Islands) and Faafaite (Tahiti) at the Tuamotu Islands, French Polynesia, later this month and the fleet will then sail to Hawaii to attend an international environmental conference.

The second leg of the journey will see the vakas continuing to North America, returning via the Cocos Islands, Galapagos, French Polynesia, the Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji, with the ultimate destination of the Solomon Islands for the 11th Pacific Arts Festival in 2012.

Four of the vaka made a shorter Pacific voyage in 2010, sailing from New Zealand to French Polynesia, Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji. Among those on last year’s journey was vaka expert Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr. Mr Barclay-Kerr, the cultural advisor for the project, said the voyage is not the stuff of boyhood adventure, but has a very serious objective.

“The vakas are taking a strong environmental message, that impacts on all of us, across the
Pacific. We are looking to draw attention to such issues as over fishing, ocean noise pollution, acidification and anoxic waters. It is a message of human accountability. Nothing will happen until people make changes.”

The vaka, which each carry 16 crew, were built at Salthouse Boatbuilders in Auckland and blend modern boat building technologies with traditional Pacific craftsmanship. The hulls are constructed with e-glass and foam and the super structure is wood. The sail locker includes traditional flax sails and modern gennakers.

The public can follow the vakas via the official voyage and project website www.pacificvoyagers.org, which will carry daily blogs from crews, as well as on Twitter and Facebook. The voyage will also be the subject of a documentary film produced by Okeanos and its subsidiary, the New Zealand company Oceanic Nature Film Productions.

ENDS

© Scoop Media