"Magnificent" was the resounding reaction from those who grabbed the chance to farewell the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race fleet yesterday afternoon.
The nine identical 20.8m boats - sponsored by cities, countries and corporations from all corners of the globe - have been moored at Tauranga Bridge Marina since November 23. Race six of the year-long journey is expected to take nine to 10 days to reach Australia's Gold Coast.
After a traditional kapa haka farewell by Tuwairua Performing Arts group, whose members are all Ngaiterangi iwi, and a blast of the horn from a passenger liner at Tauranga's cruise terminal, the teams set sail.
The teams sailed off accompanied by a huge flotilla of local boating enthusiasts.
After the parade of sails down the harbour, during which the yachts assembled into a double chevron formation passing close to the beach at Pilot Bay, they then broke formation as they passed the statue of Tangaroa and made the traditional seafarer's offering before the race proper started at 2.30pm.