Hokule'a Voyage

[macuu222]

Launched from Hilo at 1:45pm today.

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/break...=261320521

[Carey]

Watched them leave from the scenic overview point at the end of the breakwater.. They were towed out of the bay, so do not have pics of the two under sail...

[Kelena]

Towed out? Wow. How inauthentic! The map is now updated and from the looks of it, they will be coming right down the coast. Very exciting. Hope they come within binocular range. This is a very daring trip. I wish them well.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Carey -
Thanks for posting their departure from Hilo harbor.
I watched them near the horizon from the cliffs in HPP as they headed south.
Safe journey to all the voyagers.

[Bullwinkle]

the usual method to get a non powered boat from harbor to the open ocean was to kedge ..... I'll take a tow anytime - grin

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kedge

[Carey]

Land was sighted at 3:52 this afternoon. 16 days into their journey they have their first landfall!

link to their update for today with a video clip:
http://www.hokulea.com/follow-the-voyage/

Link to the current track of the sailing canoes:
http://www.hokulea.com/track-the-voyage/

[deserteagle50ae]

Congradulations on a very quick and safe trip.

[pahoated]

This first leg recreates the journey of the Hawaiians back to Tahiti around 1300AD. Research studies indicate a few of these round trips occurred for about 100 years before stopping completely. This voyage proves the Polynesians weren't just exploring the Pacific at random, that voyages were carefully planned and mapped. It is staggering to think they didn't know there was another island out there but their observations of nature gave them indications there were, all the way to Rapa Nui. It's so amazing to think they had developed canoe crops, which they couldn't eat, to plant in the new land, extra food to eat, carrying chickens, pigs and dogs on deck, men, women and children. I was reading about one of the techniques when running into an unexpected big storm with huge waves, the double hull canoe was designed to flood completely, leaving just the upper deck above the water. After the storm would pass, the hulls would be bailed out and the voyage continued. Just mind boggling.

"This island Hawaii on this island Earth"

[fishenjim]

Seems they arrived in Tahiti on monday, They missed the record time by only one day.

[opihikao]

Update: (*Snipped - More at link with pictures)

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/break...ahiti.html

The Polynesian voyaging canoes Hokule'a and Hikianalia arrived in Papeete, the Tahitian capital, on Sunday afternoon, returning to the welcoming landfall of Hokule'a's history-making maiden voyage some 38 years past.

Hikianalia arrived in the French Polynesian capital shortly before 3 p.m. Sunday, followed by Hokule'a about an hour later.

Under sunny skies, crowds lined the harbor as the canoes arrived.

According to La Depeche de Tahiti, the crews were greeted by local officials and representatives of Friends of Hokulea to Tahiti Tainui, a newly created association made up of representatives from more than 15 local organizations for the purpose of spreading Hokule'a's message to the people of French Polynesia.

A formal welcoming ceremony was held at Paofai Gardens.

The difficult 2,600-mile crossing was just the first leg of a three-year, 47,000-mile journey around the world.