The voyaging canoe Hokule‘a left Haleiwa Harbor on Saturday afternoon bound for Hanalei Bay on Kauai as part of the ongoing around-the-state Mahalo, Hawai‘i Sail.

The public arrival ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. today.

The tour comes three months after the completion of Hokule‘a’s Malama Honua Worldwide Voyage and is intended as an opportunity for the Polynesian Voyaging Society to thank local supporters, share experiences from the three-year voyage and discuss the society’s work to care for the earth.

“Now that we have returned from our three-year voyage around the world, we are looking forward to reconnecting with and thanking the people of Hawaii,” said Nainoa Thompson, president of PVS, in a statement last week. “It’s also time now to discover and shine the light on what people and organizations are doing to turn inspiration into action for the betterment of our island home and the earth,” he added.

The crew will be on Kauai for three days and will participate in several public outreach events.

Hokule‘a and the escort vessel Hikianalia visited Maui last month.

The Mahalo, Hawai‘i Sail will include stops at 40 ports throughout the Hawaiian Islands.