Oct. 7, 2015

Contributed by Communication Group Staff

The crew of the Hōkūle‘a set sail for South Africa, the most ambitious leg of the Mālama Honua Worldwide voyage yet. The performance-accurate deep sea voyaging canoe was built in the tradition of ancient Polynesian navigators 40 years ago to sail the Pacific. This leg of the voyage--navigating the unpredictable and sometimes dangerous Indian Ocean--is a historic first for the Polynesian Voyaging Society. She departed Port Louis at 4:20 p.m. October 4, 2015, Mauritius local time (2:20 a.m. HST).

Nainoa Thompson, president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, is the captain and pwo (master) navigator for this leg of the journey. He and his crew made preparations while docked in Mauritius over the past two weeks, hosted by Hawai‘i-based Outrigger Resorts-a key sponsor of the Worldwide Voyage. Well-rested and provisioned thanks to the generosity of the Outrigger Mauritius Beach Resort, the crew is well equipped to take on the challenges of one of the world's most dangerous ocean passages.                         

Hōkūle‘a’s crew spent the day of departure dockside at the Port Louis, making the final preparations. When all was ready, Thompson's direction to the crew was succinct and powerful: "Let's go find Africa. Time to go."

Continuing to navigate using only traditional Polynesian non-instrument wayfinding techniques, Thompson is guiding Hōkūle‘a to the continent of Africa for the first time in the history of Polynesian voyaging. The sail plan for this leg of the journey includes the possibility for stops in small ports of call along the coast of Africa to ensure the safety of the crew, Thompson's first priority. The Hōkūle‘a may dock at Fort Dauphin, Madagascar for up to a week en route to Richard's Bay, South Africa, before eventually reaching Cape Town in mid-November.

The Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage, sponsored by Kamehameha Schools and Hawaiian Airlines, 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 vessels 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 information about the Polynesian Voyaging Society and the Worldwide Voyage, visit www.hokulea.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Google+. 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 navigators Nainoa Thompson and Kalepa Baybayan ready Hōkūle‘a to leave Port Louis, Mauritius.

Hōkūle‘a and its escort boat depart Mauritius.