Polynesian Voyaging Canoe Hikianalia to Visit Ventura County Coast
Ventura Harbor/Channel Islands Harbor/ Channel Islands National Park
Free dockside canoe tours and crew presentations open to the public, Oct. 6-13
After a 2,800-mile voyage from Hawaiʻi to California using traditional non-instrument navigation, solar and wind-powered Polynesian voyaging canoe Hikianalia and her crew will sail into Ventura County Coast on Oct. 6, and will make stops in Ventura Harbor (Oct. 6-10), Channel Islands Harbor (Oct. 10-14) and the Channel Islands National Park – Santa Cruz Island (Oct. 14-16) (weather-permitting). The canoe made its first landfall at Half Moon Bay on Sept. 10, 2018, and held the first of its public engagements along the California coast in San Francisco on Sept. 16. During the stops in Ventura County, the crew will host a crew presentation and dockside canoe tours, which will give the public an opportunity to learn about traditional Polynesian voyaging and the mission of the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s Alahula Kai o Maleka Hikianalia California Voyage. See tentative events below:
[tribe_events_list category=”Ventura County Coast”]After the one-week stop in Ventura County Coast, Hikianalia is scheduled to depart for Santa Cruz Island, one of the five islands which comprises the beautiful Channel Islands National Park. Below is a tentative port schedule for the California Voyage.
Tentative Hikianalia Port Schedule (subject to change)
- Ventura Harbor/ Ventura Harbor Village – Oct. 6-10
- Channel Islands Harbor – Oct. 10-14
- Channel Islands National Park, Santa Cruz Island – Oct. 14-16
- King Harbor (Los Angeles) – Oct. 17-22
- Dana Point – Oct. 23-30
- San Diego – Oct. 30-Nov. 5
The Alahula Kai o Maleka Hikianalia California Voyage is a continuation of the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s Mālama Honua campaign to inspire action toward an environmentally and culturally thriving world. The name of the voyage, Alahula Kai o Maleka, honors the “frequented pathway,” alahula, across the ocean between Hawaiʻi and California, kai o Maleka. Kai o Maleka, literally means “sea of America,” a traditional reference to the Pacific waterway connecting the Hawaiian Islands and the West Coast. Additional purposes of the voyage are to celebrate the Polynesian communities of California; connect, learn and share the Mālama Honua message with schools and communities; continue developing the next generation of voyaging captains, navigators and crewmembers; and to share the story of Hikianalia, a canoe that blends ancient wisdom and modern solutions to address the environmental and cultural issues of today.
Because the West Coast of the United States was not part of the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage, the Polynesian Voyaging Society and crew are looking forward to engaging with the California communities. While Hikanalia is sailing to California, Hōkūleʻa will remain in the Hawaiian Islands to complete the Mahalo, Hawaiʻi Sail.
About Hikanalia
Hikianalia, the wind- and solar-powered canoe built by the Okeanos Foundation for the Sea is the sister vessel of the famed Hōkūleʻa. Hikianalia is the Hawaiian name for the star Spica, which rises together with Hōkūleʻa (Arcturus) in Hawaiʻi. They are sister stars because they break the horizon together at the latitude of the Hawaiian islands. Launched on September 15, 2012, Hikianalia was designed specifically for the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage. The canoe started as an escort vessel to Hōkūleʻa and is now used as a floating classroom blending ancient wisdom with modern solutions. Hikianalia specializes in scientific exploration of marine resources and training for the next generation of voyagers. Values and behavior practiced on the deck of the canoe including how to conserve resources, care for our oceans and fellow crewmembers are shared as a model for how we can live sustainably on islands or anywhere in the world. She combines the latest ecological technology with the heritage of voyaging tradition: each of her hulls contains an electric motor powered by onboard photovoltaic panels that convert sunlight to electric propulsive energy. With a zero carbon footprint, her design supports the “Mālama Honua” (care for Island Earth) mission.
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