Sept. 16, 2015
Contributed by Communication Group Staff
The adventurous crew of the Hōkūle‘a, the traditional Hawaiian canoe of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, received a warm welcome yesterday upon reaching the island nation of Mauritius. The stop is a critical waypoint on the dangerous Indian Ocean leg of the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage.
“Mauritius is a very strategic port of call for the Worldwide Voyage, as it sets us up for our next great challenge of sailing to Madagascar and South Africa, eventually arriving in Cape Town said Nainoa Thompson, master navigator and president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society. “The stop will bring relief to a crew that just sailed 3,500 nautical miles across the Indian Ocean.”
“The Mauritius to Cape Town journey may be the longest time that a crew will be on the canoe for the duration of the voyage. We’re thankful that Mauritius allows us to set up for the next leg of our travels, and it also introduces us to extraordinary ecological and culturally rich places. We are grateful to Outrigger Resorts for supporting our voyage and partnering with us while our crew docks in Mauritius.”
Outrigger Resorts, a homegrown family company headquartered in Hawai‘i, is a key sponsor of the Worldwide Voyage. Bitsy Kelley, vice president of corporate communications at Outrigger Enterprises Group, was on the dock in Honolulu for the launch of the Worldwide Voyage in May of 2014 and is excited to have the Hōkūle‘a’s crew now enjoying some much deserved R and R at the Outrigger Mauritius Beach Resort. While on the island, the Hōkūle‘a crew will re-provision with the support of the resort, preparing for the next portion of the sail plan: South Africa.
“Since we set out on our own global expansion, one of our primary goals was to be authentic ambassadors of aloha in every country we’re located in,” said Kelley. “We’re proud to be able to share the story of Hōkūle‘a and the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s mission of navigating toward a healthy and sustainable future with our guests and the community.”
The voyage’s goal of educating the world’s community about preserving our natural resources also ties in beautifully with Outrigger Resorts’ global coral health and conservation program, OZONE (Outrigger’s zone).
During their time in Mauritius, Worldwide Voyage crewmembers will reach out to the community, offering educational opportunities on traditional Polynesian non-instrument wayfinding and building relationships with the local marine conservation community. The crew will learn about and share stories of hope with local dignitaries and community leaders in service of the voyage’s Mālama Honua mission-caring for our Island Earth.
The Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage will cover over 60,000 nautical miles, 100 ports, and 27 nations, including 12 of UNESCO’s Marine World Heritage sites. Voyaging from Hawai‘i in 2013 with an estimated sail conclusion date of June 2017, the Worldwide Voyage is taking the iconic sailing vessel Hōkūle‘a around the earth and her sister canoe Hikianalia across Hawai‘i to grow a global movement toward a more sustainable world. The voyage seeks to engage all of Island Earth – practicing how to live sustainably while sharing Polynesian culture, learning from the past and from each other, creating global relationships, and discovering the wonders of the precious place we call home.
For more on the Mauritius arrival, including video, visit http://www.hokulea.com/hokulea-update-20150914/. To see more Wa‘a Wednesday stories and see much more about the Mālama Honua Voyage, go to the KS Online Mālama Honua page.
Master navigator, and KS Kapālama graduate, Bruce Blankenfeld (R), led this portion of the voyage through the Indian Ocean.
Hōkūle‘a crew members see land on the horizon as their voyage towards Mauritius concludes.