Hikianalia departs California for return voyage to isles
COURTESY POLYNESIAN VOYAGING SOCIETY
Hikianalia sails under the Golden Gate Bridge on its way to a welcoming ceremony at San Francisco’s Aquatic Park. The canoe is now making its way back to Hawaii.
Hikianalia, the sister canoe to the traditional voyaging canoe Hokule‘a, is on its way back to Hawaii.
The 72-foot vessel departed the Maritime Museum of San Diego Friday and is expected back at Honolulu Harbor in early to mid-December. Its return will wrap up a three-month voyage across the Pacific and along the coast of California as part of the Alahula Kai o Maleka Hikianalia California voyage to bring a message of “caring for our Island Earth.”
Kaniela Lyman-Mersereau is captaining the canoe on its voyage home along with co-captain Jason Patterson and navigator Haunani Kane, under the guidance of veteran navigator Bruce Blankenfeld.
Hikianalia departed Honolulu Aug. 18 and made landfall at Half Moon Bay Sept. 10. Other stops included San Francisco, Sausalito, Ventura County, Redondo Beach, Catalina Island and Orange County before its final port call in San Diego.
Indigenous and local communities greeted the crew with arrival ceremonies at each stop, during which the crew gave presentations to share the history of Polynesian voyaging.
