Hōkūleʻa is preparing for her departure from Long Beach, California, on Friday after more than five months on the Moananuiākea Voyage.
The details for the double-hulled canoe’s arrival in Honolulu next Wednesday are still being worked out, but the Polynesian Voyaging Society plans to invite the public.
Hōkūle’a crew members arrived in San Diego Tuesday night to be reunited with the double-hulled canoe, which has been docked at the Maritime Museum of San Diego since mid-November.
Hōkūleʻa Captain and Master Navigator Bruce Blankenfeld said the plan is to escort vessel Kolea to tow Hōkūle’a up to Long Beach.
"Wednesday night we're gonna depart here to arrive Thursday afternoon in Long Beach. And then Friday morning, we'll take Hōkūle’a out and unload her onto a Matson vessel, the Mahimahi, to sail to Hawaiʻi," Blankenfeld said.
The Polynesian Voyaging Society announced back in September that Hōkūle’a would be putting a pause on its four-year Moananuiakea Voyage.
"It was a decision that was made by leadership at PVS, I think it was a good decision. It was based on uncertain risks, I think the risk became unacceptable in the weather, you know, the weather systems," Blankenfeld said.
"We turned that into an opportunity, you know, take the crew home, get it home safely and then start doing some training to prepare for the rest of the voyage."
There are no set dates yet for resuming the Moananuiākea Voyage, but Blankenfeld said Hōkūle’a will remain home at least until June.
"We’ll be able to do the Pacific Arts Festival. That'll be coming up next June," he said. "If we had continued down south and then across the South Pacific, we wouldn't be able to be a part of that."
Hōkūle’a and her crew are expected to arrive in Honolulu on Dec. 6. Once they're set, the details of the arrival ceremony will be announced.
Take a look at HPR's past coverage of Hōkūleʻa:
