Voyage Update | Canoes Sail into Moananuiākea and Back to Hawaiʻi Island

Navigators in training sail voyaging canoes into Moananuiākea and back to Hawaiʻi Island.

Extensive navigation and crew training continues for the crew of Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia.  Last night, apprentice navigator Tamiko Fernelius guided the canoes from Hawaiʻi Island’s Kalae, or South Point, and into Moananuiākea, the deep region of the Pacific Ocean.  After sailing south for approximately 100 nautical miles at 10:00 pm, the canoes turned around to sail back to Hawai‘i Island, which they sighted this morning at 8:00 am.

The canoes are currently sailing towards Kona and may cross the Alenuihaha Channel tonight or tomorrow morning.  They will make a brief stop in Lahaina before crossing the Kaiwi Channel and then expect to return to Sand Island, Oʻahu early Friday morning weather permitting.

About Apprentice Navigator Tamiko Fernelius:

Tamiko is originally from Okinawa. She and her husband were living in Minnesota when she read about Hōkūleʻa and became inspired by its mission to connect people with nature.  After convincing her husband to move to Hawaiʻi, she immediately became a PVS volunteer who has spent many hours sanding and caring for the canoe.  Tamiko crewed several legs of the Worldwide Voyage as a sail master, quarter master and cook and has since been studying navigation.  Her dream is to one day return to Okinawa and start a navigation school to help revive the seafaring history of her home and culture.

Track the canoes live at http://www.hokulea.com/waamoana/hokulea-live/.