Crew Blog | Nāʻālehu Anthony: Reflections from the Leg 14 Crew

The Indian Ocean is a different place, the crossing strange and unfamiliar – the sea life was not as plentiful, and the weather changed faster in intensity and cloud cover than most of the other places this canoe has travelled. A month into the voyage, and still the fluctuations of the Ocean continued to awe and surprise us.   That the unpredictability became the most predictable feature of this leg voyage in itself says a lot.

Before we leave Hōkūleʻa – our island home in the middle of the sea for the past month – and the beautiful island of Mauritius, to return to our home islands, we want to share a list put together by the crew titled: How you can tell you have a great crew on Hōkūleʻa. Some of the entries might be a little repetitive in manaʻo, but we wanted to make sure that all on board had an opportunity to share and contribute. These 20 are just the start of what describes the way that crews collaborate and become one, a beginning peek at the way we interact with one another in any type of situation.  It’s a great reminder just how well we can all live together if we share common goals and respect each other.  That collective spirit is summed up in number 12 on the list, not just because of what it says but because of who said it – one of our Japan nationals on board offered that as his contribution to the list.

He can feel the ancestors around us too.
SB 71
Nā’ālehu

How you can tell you have a great crew on Hōkūle’a:

1. There are no “perfect crews” as all have their follies. But the great crews all come together with a collective set of skills that can accomplish any task given to them on board.
2. Each member of the crew fights for the privilege to do the dishes after every meal.
3. Everyone shows up whenever there is a sail change, and they don’t all head for the sheet lines.
4. No matter how many times you sail on Hōkūleʻa there’s always someone here to learn from.
5. A quiet confidence builds as we sail.
6. The crew knows how to enjoy a moment without any sound except for what nature provides as the soundtrack.
7. There is a total respect and confidence for our captain and navigator.
8. You never have to ask to be relieved in your steering.
9. People are anticipatory in their actions. Common tasks “just happen” without anyone having to say anything.
10. Everyone subscribes to the collective goal – finding land.
11. Everyone has a servant’s heart and mind.
12. Everyone comes into this with the respect and perspective from the ancestors.
13. Crew holds their watches in a professional manner and tries to improve their skills every day.
14. Crew are good at talking story; it builds the team and camaraderie
15. The Chef is excellent
16. A’ohe hana nui ke ‘alu ‘ia
17. There’s no stress in all the operations.
18. There is a respect for everyone’s space.
19. The crew is a cheerful one
20. There is a recognition that the crew has similarities and differences, and there is a mutual respect for both.

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