Courtesy photo.
MONTEREY — Legendary Hawaiian canoe Hokule’a, revered for reviving the lost art of Polynesian voyaging and navigation, is currently docked in the picturesque coastal city of Monterey, California. The traditional double-hulled canoe has been sailing from Southeast Alaska down the Pacific Coast since June, 2023, when the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS) launched the Moananuikea Voyage and began its four-year circumnavigation of the Pacific. Hokule’a is set to make several stops in Southern California as part of this historic journey including Ventura, Marina Del Rey, Newport, Dana Point, and San Diego where the public will have an opportunity to learn about the storied history of this canoe and the environmental and cultural mission of this voyage.
California Port Schedule (subject to change, weather-permitting):
Through October 24, 2023 –Ventura, Ventura Yacht Club
Tours of the Voyaging Canoe Hokule’a at Ventura Yacht Club Include:
https://www.venturaharborvillage.com/event/hokulea2023/2023-10-20/
- Friday, October 20, 2003 1-3 PM
- Saturday, October 21, 2023 – 9-11 AM and 1-5 PM
- Sunday, October 22, 2023 – 9-11 AM
Note: Public parking is not available at Ventura Yacht Club in Ventura. Please park on Spinnaker Drive or Harbor Cove Beach. Stop in for a visit at Ventura Harbor Village.
October 24-30–Marina Del Rey, Chace Park
October 30-November 4–Newport, Newport Scout Sea Base
November 4-8–Dana Point, Ocean Institute
November 8-14–San Diego, Maritime Museum of San Diego
A tentative schedule of public events can be found at hokulea.com and @hokuleacrew on social media, giving the public several opportunities to join in the celebration of H?k?le?a’s awe-inspiring voyage and the movement to care for the earth and its oceans. (Please check back at hokulea.com regularly. Schedule is weather dependent and subject to change).
The last time Hokulea sailed down the coast of California was 28 years ago in 1995, https://archive.hokulea.com/holokai/1995/west_coast_alaska.html.
The Moananui?kea Voyage will cover an estimated 43,000 nautical miles, 36 countries and archipelagoes, nearly 100 indigenous territories and more than 300 ports. Led by the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS), the Voyage is a global educational campaign that will amplify the vital importance of oceans and indigenous knowledge through port engagements, education and storytelling. The goal of the voyage is to ignite a movement of 10 million “planetary navigators” by developing young leaders and engaging communities around the world to take part in navigating earth towards a healthy, thriving future.
Last month, PVS CEO Nainoa Thompson announced a major change to the Moananui?kea Voyage sail plan. In the wake of the devastating fires on Maui, H?k?le?a will return home from San Diego, California in late December, before continuing on the circumnavigation of the Pacific. Click here for more details.
Video Overview of Moananui?kea Voyage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TmvlM7B7dk
Photos and Video of H?k?le?a and Hikianalia:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-TV_RLN0UWMXAK1nYDV5fY9aQo4ZsEVv
About H?k?le?a
A symbol of cultural revival, H?k?le?a’s story is being shared on this journey to inspire other indigenous communities. This replica of an ancient Polynesian voyaging canoe was built 49 years ago and revitalized voyaging and navigation traditions throughout the Pacific. The canoe’s twin hulls allow her to handle large ocean swells and recover easily in the troughs of waves, and her triangular canvas sails can harness winds up to 20 knots. H?k?le?a first set out on the Pacific Ocean in 1975. Through the revival of the traditional art and science of wayfinding–navigating the sea guided by nature using the ocean swells, stars, and wind–H?k?le?a sparked a Hawaiian cultural renaissance and has reawakened the world’s sense of pride and strength as voyagers charting a course for our Island Earth. H?k?le’a continues to bring people together from all walks of life. She is more than a voyaging canoe—she represents the common desire shared by the people of Hawaii, the Pacific, and the World to protect our most cherished values and places from disappearing. https://hokulea.com/voyaging-canoes/
About Polynesian Voyaging Society
The Polynesian Voyaging Society was founded in 1973 on a legacy of Pacific Ocean exploration, seeking to perpetuate the art and science of traditional Polynesian voyaging and the spirit of exploration through experiential educational programs that inspire students and their communities to respect and care for themselves, one another, and their natural and cultural environments. https://hokulea.com/about/