Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Canoe returns to Hawaii after three years
HONOLULU — A Polynesian voyaging canoe returned to Hawaii after a three-year journey around the world guided only by nature.
About a dozen crew members for each leg of the voyage relied only on their understanding of nature’s cues — ocean swells, stars, wind, birds— and their own naau, or gut, to sail across about 40,000 nautical miles to 19 countries.
On Saturday, thousands welcomed double-hulled canoe Hokulea home to Hawaii when it entered a channel off the island Oahu and tied up to a floating dock, with iconic Diamond Head in the distance.
The voyage perpetuated the traditional wayfinding that brought the first Polynesians several thousand miles to Hawaii hundreds of years ago. The trip also helped train a new generation of young navigators.
After its return, Hokulea will embark on an eight-month trip sailing throughout the Hawaiian islands.