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Hikianalia Update | Dec 6, 2018: Most the Way Home

Update by Hikianalia Co-Captain Jason Patterson

Dec 4 Update

We’ve just finished another glorious meal by Uncle Gary and Lei. This evening they prepared for us a Spear fish that we caught mid morning, sashimi, curry and pan seared style.

Today was another very productive day of sailing with excellent conditions as we made tracks towards home steering our course direction of ʻĀina Kona. The fresh wind of 15-18 knots out of Haka Hoʻolua has us moving at a comfortable 6-8 knots in the trough of a gradually growing Nāleo Hoʻolua ground swell. The ride is smooth and the lee drift is slipping us closer to our reference course line.

This evening after dinner, the navigation team calculated that we were 1353nm down our reference course and had closed the deviation from it to just 8nm north. If we maintain these speeds we will begin the hunt for the mauna of Hawaiʻi within the next 5 days. All for now, more tomorrow and in the words of the famous Timitete, “It’s good to be us!”

Dec 5 Update

All is well on this beautiful morning of the 13th day of our sail. We are currently 1436nm down our course line and just seven miles north. We had a wonderful, and at times cloudy night of sailing, but have continued this comfortable pace of 6+ knots into the morning.

The rising sun brought in tonight’s dinner with a nice sized Otado, looking forward to Otado katsu as requested by Uncle Bruce. Mahalo to Kanaloa, the iʻa, Uncle Bruce and Uncle Gary for what is sure to be another spectacular meal.

The crew is happy and healthy, some of us are even joking about turning back because we don’t want this voyage to be over with. We haven’t brought it up for a proper crew discussion yet, but all I can promise is that we’ll be home before Christmas.

Dec 6 Update

After a challenging night of navigation with 100% cloud cover to clear skys and shifting winds with some bobbing to and fro just before sunrise, we crawled along our course line for 35nm miles and deviated 17nm to the north. This brings our total to 1551nm down our course line and 24nm north as of sunrise. As we tortoise along these next couple days, we must remember to savor these waning number of moments along the Alahula Kai o Maleka Voyage. And appreciate the privilege that we are the first of many crews to do so in who knows how many hundreds of years, in reestablishing this as a well traveled path.

A hui hou,
Jason

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2018 End of Year Giving

End of Year Giving at PVS

It’s that time of year when we reflect on what’s important to us, when we celebrate these things with thanks and joy and give what we can in the spirit of the holidays.

The Polynesian Voyaging Society is grateful to be sailing and continuing to lead a global movement to mālama honua. We hope and pray our 15 crewmembers currently sailing from California to Hawaiʻi not only arrive safely home for the Holidays, but that they do so with fulfillment, significance and joy.

We are also grateful for the continuing support and goodwill of our ohana and community. It is each of you, the culmination of your prayers, volunteerism and contributions that have not only sustained Polynesian voyaging, but helped it grow into a global beacon of hope…. mahalo!

As we approach the end of the year, we are asking your support, to give what you can. And we actually have a little something to give too! The Polynesian Voyaging Society is currently announcing new membership gifts for qualified supporters (eligible recipients must have US address), that include members’ only hat, pin and gift certificate for your choice of Olukai shoes. Of course, member decals, shirts and 20% discount at the PVS store are still perks included when you help support the legacy of Hōkūleʻa.

Please make your tax deductible contribution today!

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Hikianalia Crew Blog: Some Time with the Chef Master

Crew Blog by Leilani Josselin

The first few days have passed and the seas have finally calmed to a point where anyone with sea sickness is feeling better. The crews appetites are growing and with a crew of 15 it is no easy duty to cook for them.

My name is Leilani Josselin and I am tasked with the position of cooking and being the quartermaster. I will be cooking under the tutelage of legendary sailor of the Pacific and master cook aboard Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia Uncle Gary Yuen. I’ve known of Uncle Gary over the years from my involvement with Polynesian Voyaging Society but never properly met him until this leg 4 crossing of Alahula Kai o Maleka.

What little I knew! There’s no other man that can inventory a canoe faster or cook a better meal with the provisions provided aboard these canoes. Growing up in restaurants my whole life, from washing dishes to serving, never did I think I’d find myself cooking… And on a waʻa at that! But with the cheerful smile and always positive attitude of Uncle Gary, it has been lots of fun.

We started with making a shopping list of fresh produce that would remain seaworthy for as long as possible. Then there was all the shopping and storing. The trick to keeping the produce fresh and not bruised is knowing the best places to store them around the canoe for safe keeping. For example, we keep the tomatoes on the shelf, inside the hulls of Hikianalia opposite the stairways where we hang our harnesses after watch. That way they stay out of the salt air and are kept in a cool place where they won’t get smashed in rough seas. We also hang nets at the back of the canoe storing more durable fruits and vegetables.

So far we have caught about four mahi-mahi all ranging about 10 lbs each. This may seem small to most people but for a crew of 15 and no refrigeration, they were the perfect size. Different preparations include the always classic panko crusted, sashimi, and even poisson cru. But even better, because you don’t waste any part of the fish, Uncle Gary has showed me how to make fish broth using the head. This broth can be used to enhance the flavors in all sorts of dishes like curries, pasta sauces, soups, amongst other things.

Uncle Gary made an alfredo sauce by using this broth. He started by first boiling the head in fresh water then straining any particles. Then added onion, ginger, coconut milk, and cream of mushroom to the broth creating an awesome seafood alfredo sauce. One thing to be said is that a well fed crew is a happy crew and with Uncle Gary aboard, we sure aren’t starving.

Looking forward to tomorrow’s nights cooking lesson, and sharing future dishes with friends and family back home!

-Leilani Josselin

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Hikianalia Crew Blog: Work With The Hoe

Crew Blog by Dr. Darragh Cormac O’Carroll

Under the cover of moon we swept through the rocking ocean. The lights of San Diego had disappeared, just the lakes of moonlight fishing across the horizon. It was day 1 on my first 10pm-2am watch and the conditions were biting. A fresh northerly wind at 20-25 knots had us with a small jib and reefed down main and mizzen sails. Everybody had their warmest layers and foul weather gear on. The hoe took several people to handle as the Noio Ho’olua swell plus our speed created a bull to steer, especially if you weren’t familiar with her.

“Work with hoe” said Kaniela. “If you don’t relax with her, she will beat you down”

The conditions picked up from the start. Everybody was feeling a bit nauseous because right when we rounded point Loma heading out of San Diego and passed the Coronado Islands, we were sailing. It was less than two hours from our departure, when we were escorted by two crews from the Kanaka Outrigger Club, and from when we said our last goodbyes to family and friends at the Maritime Museum of San Diego. There was barely an introduction to life at sea, but I’d rather have it that way.

While all were feeling nauseous, the majority of the crew did well through the conditions, and just two needed a few extra motion sickness medications. Only one crew was down for half a day with severe vestibular symptoms (motion sickness).

Most motion sickness is hard to reverse once it starts, as it becomes somewhat of a runaway train. Once the brain has received enough desperate information from the balance centers of the inner ear saying “abundant motion happening,” which conflicts with the information from your eyes that motion is not. Many times it just has to run its course.

However, we quickly realized the need for additional meds in the stricken crew-member, and dampened the signals from the balance center. I used a medication that is difficult to obtain in the US, but is the medication of choice of the british navy and their sailors. Thank you to Carlos and Emmanuel Smith from San Diego Yacht Club for obtaining this for us!

I write to you from day 4 when the winds and swells have eased off, our full sails are up, and the sounds of the ukulele again float through the air, helping us digest dinner. Today we caught our first fish, everybody was on deck for it. A good sized mahi-mahi, roughly 25lbs, was made into sashimi and breaded. Leilani added her famous, now infamous, meat loaf, and Kumu Bruce couldn’t stop commenting “Le Cordon Bleu”. If this is how we eat for the rest of the trip, being at sea won’t be too tough.

A few thoughts keep circling my mind, and most of them rest on family. I wonder how many times my mother has checked our GPS tracker, I’d bet at least one hundred. As a first time deep sea sailor, she was more nervous for me than I was. In the darkness a wet rope brushed up against my hand–it felt like so much like the cold nose of my black lab “Tadhg” I even looked down to see if he was there. I thought about him for the entire hour following. I can assure you mom, and all the moms, we are doing well. Spirits are high, we are on course, and we are sailing our wa’a.

After four days, I am now beginning to understand “how” we sail. What I am still figuring out is the “why”. Once weather conditions began to settle, you could see the quiet contemplation just behind each crew members eyes. No words, no expression, just presence. We are in tune with all of our surroundings; the wind, the swells, the sun, the moon, and the stars. Every day we become more present, less wrapped up in the the past or the future. We are quickly evolving beyond crewmates, and becoming friends.

Im realizing that many lessons I’m learning on Hikianalia can be applied to life. I’ll keep working on relaxing with the hoe, because just like the hoe, when life starts going sidewise, the best way to right her is to relax. Feel your way to the solution, because forcing anything will leave you with bruising up and down your leg (I have the pain to prove it).

From the crew of Hikianalia, a hui ho.

Aloha,
Darragh Cormac O’Carroll MD

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Moananuiakea Postcard

UPCOMING SHOWS | Moananuiākea: One Ocean. One Canoe. One People.

The Polynesian Voyaging Society and ʻŌiwi TV proudly present MOANANUIĀKEA: ONE OCEAN. ONE PEOPLE. ONE CANOE. at upcoming screenings on Maui and Hawaiʻi Island. MOANANUIĀKEA is a feature-length documentary about Hōkūleʻa’s most ambitious journey to date: the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage.

UPCOMING SHOWS
 
November 29, 2018 at 6:30pm
Hilo Palace Theater
38 Haili Street
Hilo, Hawaiʻi 96720

To purchase tickets, visit the theater box office or call 808-934-7010

November 30, 2018 at 6:30pm
Maui Arts and Cultural Center (MACC)
1 Cameron Way
Kahului, Hawaiʻi 96732

To purchase tickets, visit the MACC website.

December 1, 2018 at 1:00pm
Kamehameha Schools Maui Campus
27 ʻAʻapueo Parkway
Pukalani, Hawaiʻi 96768

Presented as part of the Perpetuating Aloha at Home and Abroad event hosted by the the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) and Kamehameha Schools Maui. The screening of Moananuiākea will be preceded by a 10am showing of “Saving ʻŌhiʻa, Hawaiʻi’s Sacred Tree” and panel discussion about ʻŌhiʻa and update on Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death.

December 6, 2018 at 7:00pm
Doris Duke Theatre, Honolulu Academy of Arts
900 South Beretania Street
Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96814

To purchase tickets, visit the Doris Duke Theatre website.

Moananuiākea illustrates the crucial role of indigenous voices and perspectives in both storytelling and in creating paradigm-changing solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. The film honors ʻike Hawai‘i — traditional wisdom of our island culture — on a global stage. It extends the values of the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage and the Hōkūle‘a, a beacon of sustainability, unity and culture, beyond the voyaging community for perpetuation in the wider world.

Moananuiākea plays a vital role in carrying the enduring legacy of the Mālama Honua Voyage into the future. The voyage’s groundbreaking conservation and preservation initiatives have already inspired countless new practices to protect our environment. The wildly successful revival of a traditional art that was nearly extinct has created a resurgence of pride and respect for native cultures and encourages the active rediscovery of forgotten cultural practices. The film does more than bring the audience to the sea, it shows them how our ancestors have always had the keys to a collectively bright future and how it is up to us to use them.

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Hikianalia Update | Nov 25, 2018: The Sail Plan Home

Crew Blog by Haunani Kane

Aloha my name is Haunani and I will be your navigator alongside Brad Wong, and our kapenas Jason Patterson and Kaniela Lyman-Mersereau. Prior to coming up to San Diego we spent a lot of time with Uncle Bruce coming up with a sail plan and studying the stars down at the beach, and at the J. Watumull Planetarium at the Bishop Museum Planetarium (mahalo to the staff and docents!). Here is the sail plan that we have come up with.

A straight shot from Point Loma, San Diego to Hilo, Hawaiʻi is approximately 2200 nautical miles heading ʻāina kona, two houses (about 22o degrees) south of west. To account for a more northerly current at the beginning of our voyage we will steer half a house north, in between lā and ʻāina kona. Because our course has so much west in it, we will have the wind at our back. The stars will rise behind us and set in front of us. Hōkūpaʻa (north star) will be to the right of us.

Our crew has been super fortunate to learn from Uncle Bruce. Uncle Bruce is a genius in the most humble way. He has a way of breaking down complex concepts into ways that are simple and easy to understand. By teaching in this way he has made learning navigation more accessible to our entire crew. For example, rather than trying to memorize all of the stars in the sky, we are focusing first on the stars that set directly in front of us (e.g. Diphda in Cetus, Moanikeala in Capricorn, ʻAʻa– Sirius and Murzim in Canis Major) and rise directly behind us (Kapuahi– Aldeberan in Taurus, Algorab and Gienah in Meʻe). Rather than studying where the moon rises every night we have asked each of the crew members to look up their zodiac constellation (what we call birthday stars) and each night we have been watching how the moon moves through each of our birthday stars along the ecliptic.

Uncle Bruce also asked each of us to research a different navigator that travelled to and from Hawaiʻi during the early migrations. As we sail we will share what we have learned about our navigators. By setting up the navigation in this way, each of the crew members in some way or form has accepted some of the kuleana of navigating Hikianalia home. Uncle Bruce is teaching us to read the heavens and the ocean while also teaching us the importance of being open to new knowledge. In the words of Dr. Seuss, “It is better to know how to learn than to know.”

As we make our way home we would like to extend our aloha and appreciation to all of the families and friends both in San Diego, back home in Hawaiʻi and across the Honua that helped to prepare us for this voyage home.

Hawaiʻi we will see you soon!

Haunani

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Hikianalia and Crew Depart for Hawaiʻi

The crew has departed San Diego for the 2,200-mile voyage back to Honolulu

After a three-month voyage across the Pacific Ocean and down the coast of California, Hikianalia is sailing back to Hawaiʻi. The voyaging canoe departed yesterday at 2:00 p.m. (PST) from the Maritime Museum of San Diego and is expected to arrive back in Honolulu in early to mid-December. Under the guidance of Pwo navigator Bruce Blankenfeld, the crew for the last leg of the Alahula Kai o Maleka Hikianalia California Voyage includes co-captains Kaniela Lyman-Merserea and Jason Patterson alongside lead navigator Haunani Kane.

According to Haunani, the voyage home will be a “straight shot from Point Loma, San Diego to Hilo, Hawaiʻi… approximately 2200 nautical miles heading ʻāina kona, two houses (about 22o degrees) south of west.”

The departure was celebrated with a brief ceremony that included friends from the area’s Hawaiian and Polynesian communities, as well as staff and volunteers at the Maritime Museum of San Diego.

Hikianalia departed Honolulu on August 18, 2018 and made landfall at Half Moon Bay, California on Sept. 10, 2018. While in California, the canoe made stops in San Francisco, Sausalito, Ventura County, Redondo Beach, Catalina Island and Orange County before making a final stop in San Diego. Each stop began with an arrival ceremony hosted by the indigenous and local communities of the area. The crew held public presentations, school visits and dockside canoe tours to share the history and legacy of Polynesian voyaging and the mission of the Polynesian Voyaging Society.

About Alahula Kai o Maleka Hikianalia California Voyage

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. The major sponsors of the Alahula Kai o Maleka Hikianalia California Voyage are Hawaiian Airlines, OluKai, Kamehameha Schools and Hawaii Tourism Authority.

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Crew Blog | Nov 21: Not Afraid of Storms

Crew Blog by Dr. Darragh Cormac O’Carroll

“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship” -Louisa May Alcott

“Man overboard!!!” Rang out across Hikianalia, surprising us after breakfast was eaten and the last dishes were secured away.

The klaxon alarm followed as the crew of hikianalia sprang into action.

“Spotter here! Port side off our quarter”

By now we all knew what to do, it was just a matter of execution when least expected; it was one of us out there.

“Forward sail is down! Main sail coming down next!”

“Rescue poll is deployed, signal light is strobing! Dagger boards are up, and motors are on!”

We quickly de-powered the wa’a, flipped Hikianalia’s motors into reverse, and in the midst of San Diego Harbors Maritime Museum, successfully rescued our “man overboard.”

Thankfully this was just a drill, but we train as if was real. While man over boards are rare, it is important to be calm in the face of danger, resolute in the face of adversity, and skilled in sailing our vessel when we need it most. We have been training all week as a crew, getting to know our watchmates and watch-captains, bonding as a team, and by now we are looking smooth.

I am the crew physician but with zero deep water sailing miles I am by far the most novice sailor aboard. I’ve paddled on six-man canoes for most of my life, and even participated in a few of the Molokai Hoe, but until this week I was admittedly selfconscious about my sailing capabilities.

Under the guidance of all the crew, especially co-captains Kaniela Lyman-Merserea, Jason Patterson  and my watch captain Moani Heimuli, they have trained me up to a point where I am now able to contribute to sailing this canoe.

It reminds me of my medical training where everything began as terrifying: even prescribing a simple medication such as Tylenol. But through great teaching, personal dedication, and repetition formerly complex tasks become second nature, like the backs of our hands.

Not only am I new to sailing, I am also new to this community. The aloha every single one of the crew exudes is infectious; the minute any guest steps onto Hikianalia they are met with smiles, an embrace, and an eagerness to answer any questions.

A group of 10 youth from the local kumeyaay tribe stopped by this week; we exchanged stories and shared food. Brad Wong and Moku Chandler serenaded us on the guitar and ukulele while we enjoyed Leilani and Gary’s shoyu chicken. I watched as a young toddler kumeyaay lay his hand on the hoe and the sounds of laughter echoed about. It was then when I glimpsed the power of Hikianalia and her sister Va’a Hokulea; the power to bring people together.

Hikianalia has been nestled up amongst a few colorful neighbors as we prepare to sail her 2200 miles aina kona back home on the 21st. Surrounding her is a rusty old B-39 Russian submarine, a few replica 1500’s ships, and the beautiful 150ft square ship “Star of India” that was once owned by the hawaiian monarchy.

As colorful as these neighbors are, we are eager to depart. I don’t know what exactly to expect on this voyage, but I welcome it. I don’t know what challenges I will face, but I welcome them. I don’t know how I will feel, but I welcome it too.

But what I do know is what kumu Bruce Blankenfeld has taught us when we face the unexpected, which can be applied to all aspects of life. We are not afraid of storms, because we know how to sail our ship.

Aloha,
Darragh Cormac O’Carroll MD

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