The grandson of Tauranga woman Mary Hayward is aboard the NIWA ship, Tangaroa, which is tasked with releasing the emperor penguin Happy Feet back into the wild.

Happy Feet receives some final treatment at Wellington Zoo.

Daniel Hayward is second mate on the Tangaroa, which departs today on the month long journey to the Campbell Islands, where Happy Feet will be released.

'He has always loved being out on the sea,” says Mary of her grandson.

'Our whole family is boating mad.

'Daniel has always wanted to go to Antarctica and now he gets his chance.”

The Campbell Islands are 700km south of New Zealand and are where Happy Feet is expected to join a colony of similarly aged, three-year-old, emperor penguins.

He has been in New Zealand receiving medical treatment at the Wellington Zoo after he was found washed up on the Kapiti Coast in June.

The Tangaroa is the ship releasing Happy Feet back into the wild.

Daniel was recently promoted to second mate of the NIWA ship.

'Daniel has been overseas on various ships.”

'He's been training his whole life and was assigned to the vessel last year when they did the big refit.”

Mary says Daniel has come a long way from sailing in waters around Te Puna.

'He now owns my boat. He used to sail it in the creek when he was little. We all love boating, it's a family thing.”