Hōkūle’a and her crew have been in San Diego for exactly one week. The Southern California port is the double-hulled canoe's last major stop before returning home later this year.
Hōkūle‘a crew member Lucy Lee said the sail down from Dana Point was the longest time she had spent at sea on the Moananuiākea Voyage.
"It was about a 12-hour run. So it was the longest run that this crew did. We got up super early, which was awesome. Just to be out on the water as the sun is rising is always a beautiful experience," Lee said.
"We made it down in time where the crew got to sail. It's always amazing to see the canoe break free from the escort boat and sail alone," she explained.
Hōkūle‘a has been docked at the San Diego Maritime Museum for the past week.
Over the weekend, Lee said the double-hulled canoe had the opportunity to sail with some of the maritime museum's historic vessels.
"The Star of India, which is one of the main vessel attractions, here was the first time they had sailed in five years. It was cool to see Hōkūleʻa keep up," she said.
"You know they have a lot of sail area. They’re pretty big and they go pretty fast. Seeing Hōkūle’a alongside these vessels, holding her own, staying true to her course, is definitely something you don’t see every day."
San Diego will be the last major port stop before Hōkūle’a returns home. The Polynesian Voyaging Society announced a temporary pause in the four-year Moananuiākea Voyage back in September.
"You know there’s no place like home for us and for Hōkūleʻa. Ho‘i i ka piko is what I’m thinking a lot about. What it means to return to the source. Sometimes you make a choice to ho‘i i ka piko, sometimes your piko calls you home," she said.
PVS is still working out the details of Hōkūle’a's return home. The current plan is to ship her to Hawai‘i by the end of the year.
Take a look at HPR's past coverage of Hōkūleʻa:
