Two traditional Maori canoes, or wakas, set off on today from Auckland's Viaduct Events Centre with a goal of reaching Easter Island (Rapanui) in six to eight weeks.
The two double-hulled Maori canoes will sail nearly 19,000 kilometres without modern navigational aids, recreating Maori ancestral journeys.
Crew members will take turns sleeping in small compartments for three or four hours at a time, and will fish constantly for fresh food.
A small stock of fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, dry freeze foods, rice, noodles, canned food, water and vitamins will be on board, and the crew will take minimal clothes on the journey.
Navigator Jack Thatcher earlier told NZ Newswire that the first leg will be challenging because of chilly temperatures, but the winds are forecast to be favourable.
"You always run into things like that but it's about learning to relate to the ocean environment and just going with whatever it throws at you."
The expedition, named Waka Tapu or sacred canoe and 20 years in the making, has been organised by the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute and Te Taitokerau Tarai Waka and Mr Thatcher says it can be followed on the Waka Tapu website with regular updates from satellite tracking.
NZN