Hikianalia Crew Blog | Hana Yoshihata: Our Beloved Hikianalia and the Sea
On Sunday, September 23rd, Hikianalia set sail on the first coastal journey of Leg 2 of the Alahula Kai o Maleka California Voyage. After spending the first few days inside San Francisco Bay, all of our crewmembers were excited to pass under the Golden Gate Bridge and out into the Pacific.
These first few days alone have provided us a diversity of experiences. As a crew, we have shared and interacted with local communities providing outreach to hundreds including many students and youth. Fueled by aloha and a true excitement of getting to know our visitors/hosts, we can go on and on for the entire day, oftentimes without any breaks.
Hikianalia community tours, Sausalito
However meaningful our port stops are, it is very hard work. And now as we sail along the coast of California, I think I can speak for our crew about how grateful we are to share this moment together… that it is just us, our beloved Hikianalia, and the sea.
Over the years, I’ve come to know that this time on the water is crucial in helping me balance the whirlwinds of events and engagements we face while on land. Even if we are just at sea for a day, the rush and clutter of land begin to quiet, and we can start to settle into being part of the ocean–feeling the swells and wind, seeing the birds and whales and fish, and sensing the rhythm we have with one another and our canoe.
Even if just for a day, that time and space centers me and prepares me for our next port, the challenges it may bring, and all of the amazing experiences and connections we will build there. Our lives as crew are not always easy, but I believe that for every single thing that drains us, there will always be something to fill us back up again, both in the ocean and on land.
Photo Essay by Hana Yoshihata
© 2018 Polynesian Voyaging Society, Hana Yoshihata
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