The Hokule’a and Hikianalia Hawaiian sailing canoes are approximately 885 nautical miles along their course from Hilo to Tahiti.

According to navigator and captain Lehua Kamalu, currents and conditions during this part of the leg are challenging due to the northeasterly winds, making the steering to Tahiti difficult.

In an update on Sunday, Kamalu said this part of the voyage, when the canoes are expected to hit the Intertropical Convergence Zone, known as the doldrums, gets tricky because of the different current conditions and navigational marks there.

Hokule’a and Hikianalia departed Hilo April 18 after waiting five days for the best weather conditions to launch the canoes on Kealaikahiki, the 2,500-mile ancient sea road to Tahiti.

The voyage is focusing on navigational training and cultural protocol to prepare the crew and test the canoes before they embark on the Moananuiakea Voyage next year.

For daily updates on the voyage, including the live tracking map, go to hokulea.com.