clipped from: www.nzherald.co.nz 
An important piece of New Zealand's maritime history sailed back into the Waitemata Harbour yesterday after more than 10 years abroad.
The 11.6m Vega - once a key vessel in Greenpeace nuclear protests - will now make Auckland its home port.
The boat was built in Whangarei in 1949, reportedly from a single kauri log.
Current skipper Daniel Mares said the Vega entered the anti-nuclear struggle in 1971 when Greenpeace founding member David McTaggart sailed it to Mururoa Atoll to protest against French atmospheric tests.
The Vega has sailed into nuclear blast zones on countless occasions, Mr Mares said.
"It's been a David-and-Goliath story right through. This little vessel has challenged some of the biggest and most powerful navies in the world."
Mr Mares' personal history with the yacht began in 1984, when he worked on board as a deckhand.