Ask the Crew | Ryan Hanohano: As you sail South, does it get colder gradually and affect the canoe? 

Aloha, this is Ryan Hanohano, reporting to you from Hikianalia, here in Auckland, New Zealand. Today’s question is from Puʻuhonua from Kula Kaiapuni o Kualapuʻu, grade six. The question is, “When the canoes start going further south, towards New Zealand, can you feel it getting colder slowly or all of a sudden. When it does get colder, does the canoe sail differently?”

This is a good question Puʻuhonua. The answer to this question is yes, as we go further south, it does get colder. Not all of a sudden but gradually as we go further south towards New Zealand. A canoe sails the same, both in warm water and cold water. But the crew is not used to cold weather, because most of us are from Hawaiʻi. So we, as sailors, sail differently. We have to put on foul weather gear and warm clothes so that we can adapt to the cold weather. So great question, continue to follow us on Hokulea.com and do your part to mālama honua. Mahalo!

Ask the Crew | Ryan Hanohano: What role are creative arts playing on the Hōkūleʻa? 

Aloha this is Ryan Hanohano, I’m a crewmember on the Worldwide Voyage. Today’s question is from Captain Susan, Cedar Point, North Carolina: “Traditionally, sailors of all cultures have been inspired by the sea and have often dedicated their off duty hours to creative endeavors. What role are creative arts playing onboard Hōkūleʻa?”

This is a great question. The creative arts play a very important role on Hōkūleʻa and also on Hikianalia. During our off duty hours, we have a lot of time to spend, especially in good weather, to haku mele (song-write), to dance hula and to spend our time with the arts, so that we can improve ourselves in those little talents that we might have. It’s nice to hear a mele being sung and instruments being pulled out and played onboard the canoe, that we can pass the time and have a lot of fun while doing that. Mahalo for such a great question, continue to follow us on Hokulea.com and do your part to mālama honua. Mahalo!

Ask the Crew | Barbara Blake: How many people does it take to handle the steering paddle? 

This is Barbara Blake calling you here from New Zealand at a beautiful local marae that we’ve had the opportunity to stay at. Today’s question comes from Mark, from Fredricksburg, Texas. Mark asks, “When under sail, how many crewmembers does it take to handle the steering paddle? I would imagine that the number would change, due to weather and sea state.”

Well Mark, that’s an excellent question. Yes, to your question; the number does change according to the weather and according to the way the sea changes. On a typical day, when we don’t have any rough seas and when we’re not making any sharp turns, you can usually handle the paddle with just one crewmember. However if we’re making really sharp turns or if the sea happens to be moving in a particular way such that we need to push against the swell, we need more than one person to do that because the paddle tends to be pretty heavy. If you’ve never been aboard a waʻa [kaulua] (double-hulled voyaging canoe), I can tell you that the paddle is pretty heavy. Even on a light day, when you’re out there sailing and there’s no real big forces that are pushing against the paddle, it can still take more than one person to push around the paddle because it’s so heavy and because you are essentially pushing against the forces of nature.

I appreciate your question, Mark, thank you for writing us and letting us know that you are involved in the journey in your own way. Please let us know how you mālama honua and please don’t forget to follow us at Hokulea.com.

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