Vaka Paikea arrived in Avana Harbour earlier this week after departing Aitutaki earlier than expected due to unfavourable weather conditions.

While the crew was happy to be home, they said it was becoming increasingly difficult to navigate Avana Passage due to the buildup of sand.

Te Puna Marama Voyaging Foundation trustee Cecile Marten said there appears to be more sand build up than a year ago, making it harder to anchor near the motu where Vaka Paikea can shelter behind Motu Tapu from unpredictable bad weather.

Marten adds that the sand is becoming a bigger issue, and Avana has been dredged before.

While in Aitutaki for a week, Captain Peia Patai, traditional master navigator, and the crew of Paikea were busy with their star compass project and meeting with landowners to discuss plans for land on the island.

The team met with a surveyor to sort out the boundaries for the Aitutaki piece, and with architect Romani Katoa who will design the concept plans for the placement of the star compass and the proposed Learning Centre.

Vaka Paikea and crew members Captain Patai, Steven Daniels, Tama Mareta, Zebadiah Revake and Oliver Oolders, sailed from Aitutaki to Rarotonga.

“The beauty of Paikea is that we can sail with a minimum of five which makes our ‘floating classroom’ easier to take to the Pa Enua,” Marten said.

“However, it’s certainly more work for them doing two watches – four hours on and four hours off.”

On Friday, August 31, Vaka Paikea is scheduled to leave for Mangaia.

Paikea will be back in Aitutaki later this year to run their programmes and workshops, thanks to the support from the Pawanka Fund and Social Impact Fund.

Te Puna Marama would also like to thank the New Zealand High Commission, Rarotonga, for supporting their “Ikairo Tuku Kaveinga Maori” project.