By Laura McQuillan
Marking a decade since yachting legend Sir Peter Blake was murdered, his family and friends have gathered to announce a voyage which will give young New Zealanders a chance to follow in his footsteps.
Sir Peter became a national icon when he led Team New Zealand to an America's Cup yachting victory in 1995 - and his lucky red socks, worn during the campaign, were nearly as prolific.
After stepping down from the team in 2000, Sir Peter threw himself into conservation, and a year later he was named a special envoy for the United Nations Environment Programme.
He was on an environmental exploration trip to South America for the United Nations when he was shot and killed by pirates on December 6, 2001.
On Tuesday, 10 years since his death, Sir Peter's widow Lady Pippa Blake, Governor-General Lieutenant General Sir Jerry Mateparae, family and friends gathered at Auckland's Viaduct Harbour on Tuesday to unveil the Young Blake Expedition to the Kermadec Islands.
The voyage will see 30 New Zealand secondary school students travel to the Kermadecs next August on board the HMNZS Canterbury with a crew of experts, scientists, artists and educators.
The Kermadecs, 1000km northeast of Auckland in the South Pacific, are a protected nature reserve managed by the Department of Conservation, which includes New Zealand's largest marine reserve, and bird species not found anywhere else in the world.
Missing from Tuesday's tribute was Sir Peter's son, James, who is part of a four-strong team attempting to become the first New Zealanders to row the Tasman.
He told media before his departure from Sydney he'd be wearing lucky red socks, just like his dad.
NZN