Hokule‘a’s stop in Cuba might overlap with Obama’s visit

The voyaging canoe Hokule‘a will visit Cuba on its round-the-world journey and expects to arrive March 17, just a few days before President Barack Obama makes his own historic visit to the island nation.

Polynesian Voyaging Society President Nainoa Thompson said Tuesday that the timing is coincidental, but he thinks the Hokule‘a crew’s stay will overlap with the president’s visit, which is set for March 21 and 22.

“We weren’t planning this together,” Thompson said. “It was actually coincidence. A lot of it depends on the weather. I think we’re going to overlap.”

The Hokule‘a sail plan calls for the canoe to land in Havana on March 17 and stay for about about four days. But arrival dates and departure dates are flexible, depending on the wind.

“The earliest departure would be the 20th, and, hopefully, the latest would be the 22nd,” said Thompson, who won’t be on the Cuban leg of the journey. “We have that buffer in there because of the wind.”

Hokule‘a arrived in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, on Sunday, after a 2,200-mile sail from Natal, Brazil, and expects to head to the British Virgin Islands on Friday if weather permits. Fresh crew members left Honolulu on Tuesday for St. John to replace some who will be coming home.

Kalepa Baybayan will be navigating on the voyage to Cuba, a trip that wasn’t in the cards when the itinerary for the Malama Honua Worldwide Voyage was first being sketched out.

But as the thaw in relations between the United States and Cuba began, Jesus Puerto, founder of the Cubanakoa Foundation, approached the voyaging society to suggest a stop in Cuba. The Honolulu-based foundation promotes ties between Hawaii and Cuba.

“He started the conversation with us more than a year ago,” said Jenna Ishii, an apprentice navigator and staff member for the voyaging society. “It wasn’t on our sail plan. He was really the one that inspired us to look at the relations between Cuba and Hawaii.”

In December 2014 Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced that they intended to normalize relations between the two countries after more than 50 years of estrangement. Last summer the two countries reopened their embassies, and last month they announced the resumption of commercial flights.

Congress has shown no inclination to lift the U.S. trade embargo, but U.S. visits are on the upswing to the island, just 90 miles from Key West, Fla. The Tampa Bay Rays are expected to play a Major League Baseball exhibition game in Cuba on March 22, and the Rolling Stones are slated to perform there March 25.

The itinerary for Hokule‘a’s visit was arranged by Cubanakoa and Altruvistas, a travel service that handles People to People tours of Cuba. Puerto, who is of Cuban descent, will be in Cuba with a contingent of Hawaii folks as part of a long-term cultural exchange, Ishii said.

The Hokule‘a crew will be hosted by the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples (Instituto Cubano de Amistad con los Pueblos), which was formed in 1960 and focuses on international outreach.

The Hawaii team will learn about Cuba’s marine conservation, urban sustainability and environmental efforts, and explore cultural connections between Cuba, Hawaii and other island societies. Thompson called the visit an extraordinary opportunity for the Hawaii residents.

“Cuba is an amazing place,” Thompson said. “They have the best coral reefs in the Caribbean because they use no pesticides in their agriculture and their tourism footprint is small. It’s a really big question what they are going to do when they open up the doors. What are they going to open it up to?”

The country has a chance to continue protecting its environment while strengthening its economy, he said.

“Because of the country’s political situation over the last few decades, Cuba has developed sustainability practices that are now considered a model for the rest of the world,” Thompson said.

Crew members are excited about exploring a country few Americans have visited, as well as strengthening Cuba-Hawaii connections. Onboard educator Noelani Kamalu, who will board the canoe in St. John, said she recently learned about parallels between Hawaii and Cuba.

“I didn’t know they grew kalo there and they have breadfruit,” she said Tuesday before boarding a plane in Honolulu for the Caribbean. “The climate and the agriculture are quite similar to Hawaii. One of the things I’m interested in learning more about is their culture and heritage.”

After visiting Cuba, Hokule‘a will sail to Florida and then travel up the East Coast. Since leaving Hawaii in May 2014, it has sailed more than 21,000 nautical miles, stopping in 12 countries and 55 ports around the world. More than 180 volunteers have served as crew on the canoe and its escort vessel Gershon II, spreading the message of “malama honua,” or caring for the earth.