The Polynesian Voyaging Society is postponing the voyage of the Hikianalia, the sister canoe to the Hokule‘a, to California until at least next week due to unfavorable weather and threats from Hurricane Hector, which is tracking near the Hawaiian Islands.

“We are concerned about our crew on the canoe as well as their families being left behind, so we are holding off the launch of this voyage until the risk of this hurricane and any other weather issues have passed,” Nainoa Thompson, president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, said in a news release Thursday. “We want to make sure that both the canoe and our homes in Hawaii are safe, and we want to allow our crew to be here to make sure their families are okay.”

A new departure date has not been set, but the group said it will work closely with the National Weather Serv­ice to monitor the weather to “determine the safest time for the crew to set sail.”

The Hikianalia was scheduled to depart Sand Island on July 30 for a 30-day voyage across the Pacific Ocean. It was expected to arrive in Northern California early next month with a celebration planned for Sept. 8 at the Aquatic Park in San Francisco. After that the voyagers plan to sail down the California coast to San Diego before returning to Hawaii in December.