Hokulea Will Return Home After Sailing 40,000 Nautical Miles Around the Globe
June 15, 2017
On Saturday, June 17, Hokulea (Hōkūle‘a) and its crew members will make their historic return to Hawaii after sailing more than 40,000 nautical miles around the globe! According to Mission Blue partner, the Polynesian Voyaging Society,
“The mission of the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage is to weave a lei of hope around the world through sharing indigenous wisdom, groundbreaking conservation and preservation initiatives while learning from the past and from each other, creating global relationships, and discovering the wonders of the Island Earth.”
Image: Polynesian Voyaging Society
The voyage began in May 2014 when Hokuleah departed from O’ahu and sailed with a fleet of seven deep-sea voyaging canoes from Hawaii, Tahiti, and New Zealand. The homecoming celebration honors the multicultural journey and connection with people all over the world.
“It is the realization of decades of hard work and planning on behalf of the Polynesian Voyaging Society crew and our partners and friends around the world to embark on the final leg of Hōkūle‘a’s voyage and return home,” said Nainoa Thompson, president of Polynesian Voyaging Society. “Watching Hōkūle‘a crest the waves of O‘ahu’s south shore as she returns home, much like the canoes of our ancestors, will be a once in a lifetime experience. We are overwhelmed with emotion at all we have accomplished during this historic voyage and we look forward to setting sail on the next chapter together.”
The grand homecoming will include a welcoming celebration with over 50,000 people expected to attend. The event’s inspirational speaker series will feature local and global speakers who have engaged with the Voyage including: Megan Smith, 3rd chief technology officer of the United States; Dieter Paulmann, founder of Okeanos Foundation for the Sea; and Ocean Elders Sylvia Earle, Jean-Michel Cousteau, and Don Walsh. Stay connected to Hokulea’s homecoming by visiting the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s Facebook page.
Image: Polynesian Voyaging Society
Read more about Hokulea in Raising Havaiki from the Sea.