April 22 Earth Day: A week in review

We have much to be thankful for on this Earth Day after a full week of events.  Mahalo a nui…

…Mahalo to the Hakipu‘u ‘Ohana for hosting a beautiful ‘aha‘aina (on April 15) to bless Hokule‘a and her crews as she launches on the Worldwide Voyage beginning with a sail around our islands.

…Mahalo to everyone who made possible a visit and Earth Blessing (on April 16) by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. http://pillarsofpeacehawaii.org/Hokulea

…Mahalo for the safe journey of the crew of Hokule‘a and her two support vessels.  On the evening of April 16 the three vessels departed for the island of Hawai‘i.  After crossing the Kaiwi Channel we turned around when one support boat had engine difficulties.  Hokule‘a and her two support boats made it safely back to the Marine Education and Training Center on Tuesday morning, April 17, where she will stay until she departs for Kawaihae on April 27.

…Mahalo to Kalani Nakoa for bringing his wa‘a Kinikini from Kona in place of Hokule‘a to give the attendees of the Hawai‘i Executive Conference https://www.hec-hawaii.org a sailing experience they will always remember.  And to Dale Fergerstrom for assisting with Kinikini’s return to Kona.

… Mahalo to Brad Lau, Melora Purell and the Kohala Watershed Partnership http://kohalawatershed.org team who welcomed our crews to the Koai‘a Corridor Native Plant Sanctuary & Restoration Project.  We are grateful for the opportunity to see the awesome work the KWP team and the community continue to do to malama the watersheds of the Kohala Mountain.  Our crew enjoyed removing invasive lantana, planting native ‘a‘ali‘i, and walking through the sanctuary, reminding us of the beauty of the forest that once blanketed the slopes of the mountain.

May every day be earth day

Mahalo, mahalo a nui