Hōkūleʻa, Hikianalia Depart for Hilo

After another brief delay this morning, Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia departed Sand Island for Hilo at approximately 11:15 a.m.

The canoes were supposed to leave the dock at Sand Island at 7:30 a.m., however, PVS was notified that a crew member who participated on a training sail last week Thursday tested positive for COVID-19. Out of an abundance of caution, crewmembers who were also on that training sail were tested to ensure they were not infected. All of the crew members’ test results were negative, so the canoes were finally able to depart.

Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia are expected to arrive in Hilo on Wednesday afternoon. After clearing customs and provisioning the canoes in Hilo, the crew hopes to depart for Tahiti as early as Thursday afternoon. Depending on the weather, the voyage to Tahiti will take approximately 20 days.

More details about the Kealaikahiki Voyage, available here.