HONOLULU — Until next year when the severe El Nino weather conditions settle down, the plan is to keep Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia in Hawaii waters, according to the Polynesian Voyaging Society.
PVS has been developing a new sail plan for the Moananuiākea Voyage since the canoe’s return in December 2023 after consulting with science and weather experts, community partners and voyaging leadership.
The organization announced the circumnavigation of the Pacific will resume in March 2025 when Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia will depart Hawaii and head first to Polynesia.
The focus until then will be on training, statewide engagements, educational outreach and various initiatives.
“In terms of our oceans, we are, in my opinion and not from a scientific view, but from just experience over 49 years of sailing this canoe, we’re in a changing ocean and we need to pay attention,” stated PVS CEO and Pwo Navigator Nainoa Thompson, in a news release.
PVS will ramp up crew and captain training from May through June that will include two deep-sea journeys into the Intertropical Convergence Zone, otherwise known as the doldrums. Thompson described the convergence zone as the “cloudiest and rainiest place on earth.”
“We’re adding on the convergence zone as a strategic training ground for future captains and navigators,” said Thompson. “Hawaii is really this web of all of these special training grounds for different reasons, primarily because of our islands and what they do to the winds and the ocean. We’re very, very blessed that we have learned to use these islands as a school.”
The organization and its crew members will also take part in the 13th Festival of the Pacific Arts set to take place in Hawaii, June 6-16.
“The thousands of delegates arriving are from the biggest and greatest nation on earth, the Pacific Islands,” Thompson said. “Within the 49 years of voyaging we learned so much about who we are, and as the youngest culture, we are but children to the Pacific Islanders.
“As we were learning how to voyage, they cared for us as family and taught us so much about islands, culture, oceans – teachings needed for our island earth. So for us, what’s most important is that when they return home, they know that they were cared for and that there is a voyaging family in Hawaii that is so grateful. We are waiting for their arrival,” explained Thompson.
PVS has also planned to launch a Pae ʻĀina (Statewide) sail from July through February 2025 to connect with schools and communities throughout the Hawaiian Islands. PVS will partner with the Hawaii Department of Education and other educational and community groups to plan community outreach, canoe tours, teacher professional development and voyage-inspired curriculum development focused on culture and sustainability when Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia visits up to 30 ports throughout Hawaii. Once arrangements have been confirmed, PVS will announce the details.
“When you try to add up how much goodness people are actually doing as individuals — not collective, not organized, not institutionalized. Just let that wave happen, let that movement happen. We’re in the race between those who are essentially hurting the earth and those who are healing it. What we’re trying to do is reclaim our relationship to the earth. It’s our time to turn the canoe to the only island we have — and that’s the earth.”
– Nainoa Thompson, “The Way of the Navigator - 2023
Thompson said 2024 should be seen as a year of coming home, paying attention to youths and training – “training hard and getting ready.”
“On my side, I felt like we needed to stay home and be close to our communities, close to young people, to find out where they are,” said Thompson. “So we considered doing a full sail around the Hawaiian Islands to 34 different communities in 26 ports. The communities are defined by where our schools are.”
Thompson added, “This is also the year of getting younger people more prepared to take the reins of these canoes.”
In March 2025, Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia will continue their circumnavigation of the Pacific, heading to Aotearoa (New Zealand) from December through May 2026, then on to the Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia and Palau from May through March 2027.
The rest of 2027 will see stops at major countries along the coast of Asia. The sister canoes will then be shipped to Long Beach, California, after which they will sail to Mexico.
Plans for 2028 include Central and South America, re-enter Polynesia at Rapa Nui, the major island groups of Polynesia, Tahiti and Taputapuātea, and the final leg home to Hawaii.
Sarah Yamanaka covers news and events for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.