Te Aurere Voyaging - max 71 characters

October1992

Kaupapa of the Voyage – Maiden voyage for Te Aurere to sail to Rarotonga to attend the 6th Pacific Festival of the Arts.

Ports of Call - Mangonui(Aotearoa)-Ngatangiia(Rarotonga)-Mangonui(Aotearoa)

Crew - Aotearoa-Rarotonga - Captain: Stan Conrad. Navigator: Mau Piailug(Satawal), Watch Captains: Clay Bertlman(Hawai'i), Max Yarawamai(Hawai'i). Trainee Navigators: Jack Thatcher, Piripi Evans. Crew: Pakeke Winiata, Sam Hauwho, Aturangi Clamp, Craig Subritzky, Paul Le Neo.
Escort Boat - Hekenukumai Busby, Hector Morris Busby, Martin Bercic, Willie More.

Crew - Rarotonga - Aotearoa - Captain: Stan Conrad. Crew: Jack Thatcher, Piripi Evans, Aturangi Clamp, Craig Subritzky, Willie More, Hector Morris Busby, Tia Mamaku, Mogoo Renata.
Escort Boat - Hekenukumai Busby, Martin Bercic.

Te Haerenga
The crew had been training with the help of Mau Piailug, Naiano Thompson, Clay Bertlman and Max Yarawamai after the launching of Te Aurere in Doubtless Bay.

Twelve crew members were chosen to make the initial voyage over to Rarotonga to participate in the 6th Pacific Festival of the Arts. This was to be the first time in hundreds of years that waka from all over polynesia would meet up together from different Islands; Hōkūle’a from Hawai'i, Takitimu from Rarotonga and each of the outer islands of the Southern Cooks - Ma'uke, 'Atiu, Miti'aro and Mangaia also built waka hourua.

When Te Aurere left the shores of Aotearoa it was the first time most of the crew members had sailed off shore and they were not yet aware that stormy weather was heading their way.

After a few days Mau (the navigator of the trip) could see that storms were heading their way. He wanted the waka to head North East to avoid the worst weather, however the support vessel which had access to satelitte weather forcasts and other technology advised the waka to head South East. Against Mau's judgment the waka was towed South East and into some of the worst weather Te Aurere has ever seen.

After five days Mau was asked again which way he wanted to head, this time the crew would not accept anything but Mau's advice. The waka headed North and out of bad weather. The waka was towed at various other parts of the trip as they had to arrive on schedule for the start of the festival.

On the 22nd of October after voyaging 1800 miles and 24 days from Aotearoa, Te Aurere and crew were welcomed into the famous Ngatangiia harbour of Rarotonga by a huge contingient including many Maori from Aotearoa who came over to tautoko the journey.

The voyage back to Aotearoa took only 18 days, when Te Aurere was almost home it was hit by another storm, this time for three days which broke the spa causing Te Aurere to be towed back for the final 100 miles by the support boat.

Overall the return journey to Rarotonga was a success, some of the predomintly unexperienced crew which started the journey have turned into experienced individuals and a few that have stayed with the kaupapa have become leaders who are respected throughout Polynesia.

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