The voyaging canoe Hokule‘a continues its homebound journey across the Pacific, leaving Rapa Nui on Friday en route to the Pitcairn Islands.

The crew of the legendary canoe arrived in Rapa Nui on Feb. 27 and has spent the ensuing weeks meeting with the governor and mayor, visiting elders at the Hare Koa Tiare Care Home and touring Museo Rapa Nui, a museum. The crew was joined in its visit by the Nahiku Student Delegation, a Hawaii student group that promotes Polynesian culture and wayfinding.

Master navigator Bruce Blankenfeld called the stop in Rapa Nui “an important milestone” for Hokule‘a.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our shared commitment to preserving traditions, values and environment, but also to discuss the challenges that we face in light of changes to our ocean and well-being as island people,” Blankenfeld said.

The canoe’s next stop is considered one of the most pristine places on the planet. The trip to the Pitcairn Islands, which are composed of a cluster of volcanic islands and atolls, is expected to take 10 days.

Hokule‘a last visited the Pitcairn Islands in 1999 as part of a voyage around the Polynesian Triangle.

Pitcairn was the final stop of the mutineers led by Fletcher Christian aboard HMS Bounty in 1790.

From Pitcairn, Hokule‘a will sail to the Marquesas Islands and on to Tahiti by mid-April.

By the time it completes the Malama Honua Worldwide Voyage with a scheduled arrival at Magic Island on June 17, Hokule‘a will have traveled more than 60,000 nautical miles, stopping at 125 ports in 27 countries, in just under three years.