Hōkūleʻa Update | April 14, 2016 – Charleston, SC Arrival
Hōkūleʻa is set to make more community connections during her East Coast leg of the Worldwide Voyage. Charleston County Parks in South Carolina will be welcoming the historic canoe to their 26th annual Charleston Outdoor Festival. Formerly known as the East Coast Paddlesports and Outdoor Festival, the event will feature Hōkūleʻa’s crew members as key note speakers at its East Coast Sea Kayak Symposium along with community outreach activities, while the iconic canoe will be docked at the Charleston Maritime Center this weekend.
“We’re very thankful to the Charleston community for welcoming our crew, and are looking forward to sharing our experiences and lessons that embody the Mālama Honua messages of sustainability and environmental protection, of taking care of Island Earth,” said said Bruce Blankenfeld, Hōkūleʻa captain and pwo navigator.
Hōkūleʻa was greeted with an arrival ceremony today, April 14 at the Charleston Maritime Center from 2:30-3:30 p.m. EDT. Various chiefs from Native American tribes in the area and other community leaders attended the ceremony to welcome the canoe’s momentous arrival to South Carolina. The Charleston destination marks another first in Hōkūleʻa’s sailing history.
The Charleston Outdoor Festival runs from Friday, April 15 through Sunday, April 17 at James Island County Park. On Friday, April 15, Hōkūleʻa crew will hold canoe tours from 2:00-6:00 p.m. at the Charleston Maritime Center. There will also be a Polynesian Voyaging Society Worldwide Voyage information booth at James Island that day from 1:00-5:00 p.m. and on Saturday, April 16 from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Select Hōkūleʻa crew members will speak on Saturday, April 16 at 8:00 p.m., as part of the East Coast Sea Kayak Symposium at James Island County Park’s Edisto Hall. The session is free and open to the public, and registration will not be required. The crew will share their experiences with the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage to make cultural and environmental connections. The East Coast Sea Kayak Symposium is a three-day immersion in the history, technique, hands-on experience, and fun of kayaking, canoeing, SUP and other paddlesports topics.
The Charleston Outdoor Festival brings together enthusiasts of all ages and experience levels with world-renowned instructors and sports equipment manufacturers. The three-day event also includes a multitude of activities like mountain biking, slack lining, archery, climbing, and disc golf. For more information on the festival, visit CharlestonCountyParks.com.
For Hōkūleʻa’s most up-to-date schedule, visit http://www.hokulea.com/hokuleas-planned-east-coast-port-stops/
More than Adventure
Beyond a daring expedition, the Worldwide Voyage is quite possibly the most important mission that Hawaiʻi has ever attempted. As people of Oceania, we are leading a campaign that gives voice to our ocean and planet by highlighting innovative solutions practiced by cultures around the planet.
We could not have begun this great journey without your support, nor can we continue to its completion.
