Hōkūleʻa Update | May 13, 2015

Written by Joia Karen Holman

We are here in a quaint seaside town known as Coffʻs Harbour, where we have been warmly welcomed and provided for. It is a perfect place for us to care for Hōkūleʻa and prepare for our voyage to Sydney. Today we did a major clean out of the canoe, removing all our gear from the holds and scrubbing her down. Hōkūleʻa is so alive with spirit and presence that there is a tenderness in the way we care for her, almost as though we are sponge bathing a beloved grandmother, and in a way, we truly are. We make small patch repairs to the sails, reinforce lashings, and take inventory of supplies. One of our crew even braves the cool Australian waters to swim beneath the canoe and check her lashings from below.

Ana scrubbing algae growth off of the hulls.

The public occasionally pops by to talk story and share thoughtful gifts of bread and local honey. We are anchored on a floating dock with many other travellers of the sea nearby and there is an immediate, unspoken bond amongst those that have made their way across the blue. The harbour is abundant in life. On our first day we sighted a beautiful, deep red octopus, and today a cormorant bird sweeps down and pierces a large fish!

Former KGMB photographer Rick Pike with navigator Kaleo Wong.

In the evening we have a beautiful gathering with all of our crew, as well as the crew of our support vessel Gershon II, named after Captain Steve Kornbergʻs grand grandfather. Later he is discovered that Gershon is a Hebrew name, which aptly translates to “traveler in a foreign land to be welcomed as family”. Our feast provides a wonderful opportunity for us all to bond, and for us as crew on the canoe to thank and aloha our support crew. A fellow sailor from back home named Henry also joins us. He is docked alongside us at the harbour and also spends time in Kealakekua Bay on Hawaii Island. It is wonderful to make connections from home on the other side of the planet, ever reminding us just how small and precious our island Earth is.

Please help keep us sailing for future generations. All contributions make a difference for our voyage. Mahalo nui loa!