After four weeks in dry dock at Sand Island, the Hokule‘a, the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s traditional voyaging canoe, returned to sea Wednesday and is resuming its Pae ‘Aina Statewide Sail. On Saturday it will pull into Pearl Harbor for a week of school and community engagements.
Volunteers came down to the Marine Education Training Center on Sand Island over the holiday season to repair and refurbish the world-famous canoe with a new coat of paint, lashing and some minor woodwork before continuing its statewide sail as its crew prepares for the boat’s 50th-birthday celebration March 8.
The Hokule‘a will arrive in Pearl Harbor on Saturday morning and will dock at 9 a.m. at the Rainbow Bay Marina, where a welcome ceremony will be performed.
Before its dry-dock stop, the Hokule‘a had spent four months sailing around the Hawaiian Islands for a statewide tour, with more than 20 community engagements, including a sail along Koolaupoko on Oahu’s Windward side, with stops at Heeia Kea Pier, Kaneohe, Kailua and Waimanalo throughout December.
It also made a stop at Waimea Bay on Dec. 6 for the opening ceremony of The Eddie Big Wave Invitational in Memory of Eddie Aikau, when the inaugural Eddie Aikau Foundation Kahiau Award was given to Hokule‘a captain and lifeguard Noland Keaulana.
The Hokule‘a will be docked in Pearl Harbor from Saturday until Friday and host dockside tours for the public during its stay. After, it will continue its tour of the islands.
The Hokule‘a will dock at 57 Arizona Memorial Drive.
The arrival and ceremony will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
Public Dockside Canoe Tours will be held on:
>> Sunday, 1-4 p.m.
>> Monday, 2-5 p.m.
>> Wednesday, 3-6 p.m.
>> Thursday, 3-5 p.m.
After leaving Pearl Harbor, the Hokule‘a is scheduled to stop at the following ports, depending on weather and subject to change:
>> Jan. 29-Feb 5: Ko ‘Olina
>> Feb. 6-8: Poka‘i
>> Feb. 9-14: Maunalua (Hawaii Kai and Koko Marina)
>> TBD: Hilo
For the latest updates, visit hokulea.com and @hokuleacrew on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
