Hikianalia sailed into Monterey Harbor last week and received a ceremonial welcome on Sept. 29, 2018, from the Monterey community. Courtesy photo.
Hikianalia sailed into Monterey Harbor last week and received a ceremonial welcome on Sept. 29, 2018, from the Monterey community. During the stop in Monterey, the crew is making school visits and conducting public dockside canoe tours.
During yesterday’s welcome ceremony, the crew was welcomed by members of Ke Kai O ʻUhane Canoe Club with hula and an exchange of chants and gifts. The crew also was welcomed by the Muwekma Ohlone Nation, the indigenous community of Monterey, who honored the crew with songs of ocean and earth, and a presentation of healing herbs. Following the ceremony, hundreds of people from the Monterey community visited Hikianalia and the crew to learn about the mission of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and the California Voyage during dockside canoe tours.
Earlier in the week, the crew visited the Monterey Bay Charter School, which is recognized as an Ocean Guardian school, providing students and parents with a variety of opportunities to better local and global environments and sustainability, all the while encouraging the surrounding communities to do so as well. The crew made presentations to classes ranging from kindergarten to middle school and focused on topics such as plastics in the ocean and their effects on wildlife. The crew also held a presentation at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.
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Since arriving into San Francisco on Sept. 16, Hikianalia has made stops in Sausalito and Half Moon Bay. Following the stop in Monterey, the crew will head to Ventura County for stops at Ventura Harbor, Channel islands Harbor and Santa Cruz Island. Below is the tentative port schedule.
Hikianalia made landfall at Half Moon Bay on Monday, Sept. 10, after sailing approximately 2,800-miles over 23 days. Powered by wind and sun, the 13-person crew demonstrated the important relationship between humanity and the natural environment as they navigated their way from Hawaiʻi to California using cues from nature, rather than a GPS or other modern navigational instruments, to guide the way.
The crew arrived just in time for the Global Climate Action Summit, Sept. 12 to 14. Host Gov. Jerry Brown of California invited Polynesian Voyaging Society President Nainoa Thompson and Hikianalia Captain and Navigator Lehua Kamalu to deliver a message about the importance of caring for the oceans at the summit. The voyagers received a standing ovation from the audience after their inspiring remarks.
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