Canoes cross the Equator marking the halfway point of the voyage

After a cool evening of sailing through the end of the doldrums region and studying the latitude stars, the crews of Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia woke up early to conduct a traditional cultural ceremony as they crossed Ka Piko o Wākea, also known as the Equator. This point marks the halfway point of the Kealaikahiki Voyage, which launched 10 days ago from Hilo.

Hōkūleʻa Navigator Lehua Kamalu estimates that they are 1,245 miles along their journey and about 130 miles to the west of their intended course due to the winds and currents. According to Kamalu, this is the final section of the voyage where they are setting up for a tack into the Tuamotu Archipelago and onward to Tahiti.

The crews stopped the canoes to observe this special place called Ka Piko o Wākea (the Equator), a transition point that takes the crew from the northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere. It’s an important place for voyagers to offer gifts of cultural remembrance to the voyagers, navigators and ancestors who sailed Kealaikahiki before them.

To follow the journey to Tahiti, please visit the voyaging dashboard at www.WaaHonua.com.