#Moananuiākea Voyage

The Polynesian Voyaging Society’s double-hulled canoes Hōkūleʻa and her sister vessel Hikianalia received a powerful and deeply moving welcome into Ōkahu Bay, Auckland from Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Tuesday morning. The canoes were joined by Haunui, a waka hourua (double-hulled canoe) of Te Toki Voyaging Trust.

The event celebrated the historic milestone of more than 60 ratifications of the United Nations High Seas Treaty and called for more nations to join and secure lasting protection for half the planet.

Departure from Bora Bora marks the end of a roughly 6-week stay in the islands of French Polynesia.  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 crews of Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia were welcomed by the village of Tautira in a series of cultural engagements that honored the nearly 50-year relationship between the canoes and this cherished Tahitian community.

Since departing Moʻorea on Monday, July 14, the voyaging canoes Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia have been back in Papeʻetē, Tahiti to rest, replenish, and prepare for their next leg of the Moananuiākea Voyage. 

Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia continued the French Polynesia leg of the Moananuiākea Voyage and 50th birthday celebrations of Hōkūleʻa this past week, sailing from the island of Tahiti to Moʻorea to deepen cultural ties and spark dialogue around ocean protection.

On Tuesday, at approximately 9:45 a.m., the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s traditional voyaging canoes Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia, accompanied by Tahiti’s canoe Fa‘afaite, arrived at their first stop in French Polynesia: Taputapuātea.

Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia, the voyaging canoes of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, have reached the Intertropical Convergence Zone, commonly known as the doldrums, as they continue their journey from Hilo to Tahiti, a resumption of the Moananuiākea Voyage. This marks a major milestone in the canoes’ progress south along Kealaikahiki, the ancestral sea road to Tahiti.

Nearly a week since departing Hilo, Hawaiʻi Island, the voyaging canoes Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia are making steady progress on their sail to French Polynesia, the first international leg that resumes the Moananuiākea Voyage. After six days at sea, the canoes are on course and now approximately halfway to the equator.

 The four-year journey spans an estimated 43,000 nautical miles, 36 countries and archipelagoes, nearly 100 Indigenous territories and more than 400 ports.

The Polynesian Voyaging Society announced that the Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia will now depart from Hilo on Tuesday morning, June 3, after postponing the voyage due to weather conditions.

Depending on weather conditions, Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia are tentatively scheduled to depart Hilo for French Polynesia on May 30 to resume the four-year Moananuiākea Voyage, Circumnavigation of the Pacific.

Weather permitting, Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia are scheduled to depart Mauliola (Sand Island), Oʻahu this Sunday for Hilo where the canoes will make their final stop on the Pae ʻĀina Statewide Sail before leaving Hawaiʻi for three years for the Moananuiākea Voyage.

Hōkūleʻa departed San Francisco for Half Moon Bay, where it received a traditional welcome from the Ramaytush tribe and conducted community activities before continuing its voyage.

Hundreds lined the shore of Auke Bay Saturday to welcome voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa under the leadership of Captain and Pwo Navigator Bruce Blankenfeld.

Voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa is scheduled to depart Juneau for Yakutat this morning and begin the first leg of the Alaska Heritage Sail, a pre-voyage through the Southeast region of Alaska before the Global Launch of the Moananuiākea Voyage circumnavigation of the Pacific on June 15, 2023.

Although not yet verified, circumstantial evidence indicates that what they found is possibly part of an 1800’s whaling ship located near the area where the Two Brothers ship from Nantucket was identified in 2010 by NOAA maritime archaeologists.

The crew found that much of the large table corals are no longer there due to the destruction caused by Hurricane Walaka. At the same time, they discovered many small, fast-growing coral polyps that build the big table corals.

Themed “Navigating the Kupuna Islands,” the voyage will bring the canoes to Nihoa, Mokumanamana and Lalo (French Frigate Shoals) and will focus on the voyaging, cultural and ecological significance of these places.