In June 2016, I had the pleasure of visiting Hōkūleʻa, a Polynesian double-hulled voyaging canoe, when she sailed into New York harbor in the third year of an epic voyage. Since her launch in 1975, Hōkūleʻa, had crisscrossed the Pacific using exclusively traditional navigation techniques. In May of 2014, Hōkūle‘a and its sister vessel, Hikianalia embarked from Oahu for “Malama Honua,” a three-year circumnavigation of the earth. It returned to port in Hawaii in June 2017. The journey covered 47,000 nautical miles with stops at 85 ports in 26 countries.
Now, Hōkūleʻa and her crew are preparing for an epic circumnavigation of the Pacific beginning this summer. The voyage — Moananuiākea: A Voyage for Oceans, A Voyage for Earth, 2023 to 2027 will be Hōkūleʻa’s 15th major voyage in her first 50 years.
Moananuiākea will be a 43,000 nautical mile, 47-month circumnavigation of the Pacific by traditional Polynesian voyaging canoes Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia and 400 crew to 36 countries and archipelagoes, nearly 100 indigenous territories, and 345 ports.
Starting in June, the expedition will set off from Alaska and eventually end in Tahiti in the spring of 2027. The planned route includes the U.S. West Coast, Mexico, parts of South America, Polynesia, New Zealand or Aotearoa, Micronesia, Japan and more.
The Polynesian Voyaging Society explains the purpose of the upcoming voyage:
To ignite a movement of 10 million “planetary navigators” who will pursue critical and inspiring “voyages” to ensure a better future for the earth. We do so by developing young leaders and engaging communities around the world while amplifying the vital importance of our oceans, nature, science and indigenous wisdom. PVS and Pacific voyaging leadership are identifying important cultural, educational and environmental sites to visit during the Voyage. Each leg will have a specific purpose and lead to our ultimate goal of connecting Pacific communities for collective action around common challenges and a shared sustainable destiny.
When I make a route plan it includes the words “in the general direction of” because you never know whether the wind and currents are going to play ball.
AH, I REMEMBER READING KON TIKI BY THOR Heyerdahl, I was 11 or 12 and was just waiting to grow up so I too could go on Great Adventures. But alas the world wasn’t what we thought it was at that age. I remember the TV shows of Sea Hunt, Bold Journey, Jacques Cousteau, The World at War, there are a few more that I can’t remember. Now I’m 71 been stationed from Germany to Korea see the horrors of war in the Gulf and watching again as our World slowly edges toward War. But I remember the good times of the 50’s and early 60’s and even the 70’s weren’t to bad. Just have to go with the flow my friends.