Keanu thrilled to sail in the wake of his ancestors

DOUBLE HULL: The waka Haunui entering the Tauranga Harbour.

Keanu Townsend has been following in the footsteps of his ancestors on a five-week waka journey around the North Island.

Mr Townsend, 21, is sailing on the waka hourua (double-hulled sailing canoe) Haunui around the North Island for a new Maori Television programme called Pacific Voyagers Aotearoa.

He and two other youths on the Haunui were selected for the show to be filmed learning how to navigate and sail using traditional methods.

One of the three will be chosen to sail to Rarotonga with the Pacific Voyagers fleet.

The Mount Maunganui man, who is soon graduating with a media and communications degree from Waikato University, left Auckland on the Haunui on March 6.

Mr Townsend said the crew then sailed around Northland and spent eight days on the water before landing in Kawhia, where they stayed a week.

They also took part in a regatta at Turangawaewae.

From there, Mr Townsend and the crew went to Whanganui, then to Kapiti Island and on to Porirua. Napier was the next stop, followed by Tolaga Bay and Te Kaha before arriving in Tauranga yesterday.

"I've never sailed before," Mr Townsend said. "We had a wananga [instruction day] in February but before that, I had never sailed before. I had experience in surf lifesaving and surfing, but that was it."

Mr Townsend said it was "cool" to do something his ancestors did and be involved in the revival of traditional sailing.

He said he had enjoyed the first five weeks of the journey - although he did not get much freedom or space on the boat.

"If I'm feeling down or something, there's always some laughs to pick the day up. We have watches, four hours on then eight hours off. Within that eight hours we can do whatever - help out, kick back or do some fishing.

"It's been a lot to learn, especially all the ropes and what they do and what sails do what. The knots take a while to learn, especially under pressure."

Mr Townsend said one of the highlights of the journey so far had been sailing the Cook Strait.

"We got to 19 knots, which was the fastest we've been - we were surfing the swells and I caught me a fish too."

Another highlight was waking up at 6am yesterday off the coast near Maketu and seeing Mauao in the distance.

The crew would stay in Tauranga until tomorrow and Mr Townsend said he hoped he could go home for a night.

"I miss my bed. And I want to go to Burger King."

Mr Townsend's mother, Jane Townsend, said she was "extremely proud" of her son.

"For him to have this opportunity is life changing. To actually circumnavigate the North Island in a waka is incredible.

"His nan talks about him following in the footsteps of his ancestors and learning about traditional navigation and learning things along the way."