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Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia will remain in Aotearoa for six months, which will allow the canoes to wait out the South Pacific hurricane season before continuing the Moananuiākea Voyage.

The canoes and their crews were greeted Thursday (Nov. 13) with a pōwhiri, or sacred formal Māori ceremony that was expected to celebrate for hours; following a little more than week of public engagements, the waʻa will take 6 months off to wait out South Pacific hurricane season before continuing their voyage.

Rarotonga, Cook Islands, will be the final destination for the Moananuiākea Voyage, leg 14 crew, which began in Tautira, Tahiti, more than two weeks ago.

The happiness and celebration of their arrival at small South Pacific island — their final port of call in French Polynesia before heading to the Cook Islands — was almost an inverse of the emotional farewell Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia received as they departed Aug. 7 from Tautira, Tahiti.

Traditional double-hulled voyaging canoes have been back in Tahitian capital since July 14 preparing for the next leg of their Moananuiākea Voyage; stop also allowed for crew rotation before continuing their epic circumnavigation of the Pacific Ocean.

Voyaging canoes arrive in Moʻorea for cultural engagements prior to departing July 13 for brief return to Papeʻetē, Tahiti, before sailing for their next port of call: Tautira.

The double-hulled wa‘a now are anchored off Papeʻetē, Tahiti, departing Taputapuātea early because of forecasted weather. They are expected to spend about a month in French Polynesia before continuing on the Moananuiākea Voyage, with subsequent stops this year in the Cook Islands, Sāmoa, Tonga and Aotearoa — the Māori name for New Zealand.

The traditional double-hulled voyaging canoe is expected to depart Saturday morning from Keauhou Bay and head to Kawaihae for a few days before returning to Oʻahu.

100-plus people, including original crew member John Kruse of Kauaʻi, lined Hanalei Pier to welcome the legendary double-hulled voyaging canoe and its crew Saturday morning. The vessel is expected to reach the Big Island on its journey toward the end of October.

The purpose of the sail, which will cover 3,000 miles throughout the state, is for training and to connect with communities, especially students and their families.

The trip is part of continual preparations for the Moananuiākea circumnavigation of the Pacific and will take about one week.

After consulting with science and weather experts, community partners and voyaging leadership, PVS has decided to keep the canoes primarily in Hawaiian waters until next year when severe El Niño weather conditions settle down.

Pledge to Our Keiki is designed to amplify the voices of Hawaiʻi students, focusing collective efforts on community needs.

Crew members were in San Diego earlier this week to prepare the canoe to be shipped home.

The program included ceremonial rituals, tributes to Hōkūleʻa and its crew including remarks by Andy Salas chairman of the Kizh Nation Tribal Council (Gabrieleño Band Of Mission Indians) and Kumu Lilinoe Kaio. Her hula school Hālau ʻo Lilinoe performed in honor of the occasion.

The traditional double-hulled canoe, revered for reviving the lost art of Polynesian voyaging and navigation, has been sailing from Southeast Alaska down the Pacific Coast of North America since June as part of the Moananuiākea Voyage.

Hōkūleʻa departed Hyde Street Pier Sunday morning for the next stop on the Moananuiākea Voyage: Half Moon Bay.

Polynesian Voyaging Society CEO Nainoa Thompson said, “The level of hurt thatʻs happening in our home is something I canʻt comprehend. All I know is that we have to come home because of it.”

Joining the crew on board was a member of the Coast Miwok Tribe of what is now known as Marin and southern Sonoma counties, as well as renowned oceanographer, National Geographic Explorer in Residence and Founder of Mission Blue, Sylvia Earle. Members of the Ramaytush Ohlone tribe of the San Francisco area stood on the beach and granted permission for the crew to make their landing and go ashore.

The deadly wildfires on Maui were at the forefront of everyone’s minds when the legendary voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa and her crew arrived in Seattle, Washington over the weekend. More than 2,000 people gathered at Pier 62 Saturday to welcome the crew, who have been sailing since June as part of the global launch of Moananuiākea, […]