Members of Hawaii’s voyaging community are sailing around the state in honor of the late master navigator Mau Piailug.

The Hokulea canoe was to leave Honolulu for Molokai on Thursday. It will later travel to Hilo, Kawaihae, Kona and Maui.

Hokulea’s two sister canoes will join the trip part of the way. The Hokualakai will meet the Hokulea in Hilo, and the Makalii will do so at Kawaihae.

The three canoes will sail in unity back to Oahu, to Kualoa and Heeia.

Piailug, who died July 12, was from Micronesia.

He taught modern Hawaiians the ancient Pacific Island art of navigating the seas by analyzing stars, seabirds and other clues. The art had been lost in Hawaii for centuries until Piailug shared his knowledge with Hawaiians.