Cultural journey about the ocean

Leighia Murray feels honoured to be part of the Hokulea's journey. Photo / John Borren

A traditionally-built Hawaiian canoe sailing around the world using star navigation and raw people-power has docked in Tauranga Harbour for the first time.

The 40-year-old Hokulea was eight months into its three-year journey when it sailed between Mauao and Matakana Island to dock on Sunday.

It had come from Gisborne after a trip down to Wellington and Golden Bay at the top of the South Island, the most southern point the canoe had travelled in its 40 years.

A Tauranga woman was following six weeks of the waka's Aotearoa journey with her husband and their two children with their family boat, Tranquility, acting as the support boat.

The Hawaiian-built canoe was completing its longest journey yet, with the volunteer crew, up to 20 people, taking it across oceans to raise awareness for the need to protect the world's oceans.

Tauranga woman Leighia Murray and her Hawaiian husband Cameron Murray got involved in the journey when they saw the canoe sail into Opua in the Bay of Islands.

The adventurous couple and their two children had sailed home after living in America for 13 years and were keen to get involved in the New Zealand leg of the journey.

"It's been a real honour as a family," Mrs Murray said.

"It's just been amazing from a cultural perspective because being in America our kids haven't experienced that side of their heritage."

They would tow the canoe on days without wind and provide support in the event of an emergency. Tranquility would follow the canoe on its last hop to Auckland on Friday and leave it there while it had maintenance done before it embarked on the next leg to Australia.

Captain Kalepa Baybayan, from Hawaii, had been a crew member on Hokulea for 40 years and worked his way up to the captain's position.

He said the world trip was an environmental mission, campaigning for the world's oceans which were key to the survival of the islands. Local Maori language schools would be visiting while it was docked.

Hawaiian crew member and watch captain Austin Kino was enjoying his second leg of the journey getting to know New Zealand after crewing from Hawaii to Tahiti.

"It's been really amazing to learn how related Maori and Hawaiian cultures are."

The Hokulea will sail to Auckland on Friday.