Hōkūleʻa and her crew were greeted by local wildlife upon their arrival in Monterey Bay, California.
Whales, dolphins and seals escorted the double-hulled canoe to the Old Fisherman’s Wharf, where she will be docked until Friday.
Hōkūleʻa crew member ‘Iliahi Doo said it was a calm eight-hour sail down to Monterey Bay. Every now and again, he said, the crew will play a little music on board. They were listening to the song "Tangaroa" by Māori musician Maisey Rika as they approached their final destination.
"As her song was playing a bunch of whales and dolphins and seals came up. As you know Tangaroa for us is Kanaloa, and so the God of the deep sea and the kinolau was the whale and the dolphin," Doo said.
"Was just so nice to be greeted by the native animals to the native waters and native lands," he said.
As they got closer to shore, Hōkūleʻa was greeted by outrigger canoe paddlers with the Hiʻilani Canoe Club.
"On the dock there was the Rumsen Ohlone tribe greeting us with their song. We tied the canoe up and we did our protocol, doing the Auē ua hiti ē And then we had to walk over to a beach about a quarter mile away," he said.
"As we were walking there, we could hear some Tahitian drums. Come to find out it was a hālau called Nā Haumāna."
Like nearly all Hōkūleʻa crew members, participating in the Moananuiākea Voyage for Doo has meant taking time away from his family and his job. He teaches Hawaiian studies at Farrington High School in Kalihi.
He’s excited to share his experience on Hōkūleʻa with his students.
"Just seeing the people react they’re just so amazed to come to the canoe, to see the canoe, to touch and feel the canoe. I’d like to share that message to our kids. That we gotta mālama honua. And you know, make a pledge to take care of the Earth. In whatever way possible," Doo said.
The current plan is for Hōkūleʻa to depart Monterey Bay Friday for Morro Bay.
The remainder of the California tour includes Ventura, Marina del Rey, Newport, Dana Point and San Diego.
