Hōkūleʻa Arrives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Completing Leg 5 of the Moananuiākea Voyage
Hawaiʻi’s iconic voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa arrived at Heritage Harbor at the Vancouver Maritime Museum yesterday at 10:00 am (PST), the last port for Leg 5 of Moananuiākea Voyage around the Pacific. The crew was received by Lamxacha Siyám Mike Billy, esteemed Squamish chief and respected canoe carver.
The Vancouver Maritime Museum is hosting Hōkūleʻa for three days where the crew is conducting public canoe tours while docked. On Tuesday, August 8, a new crew will take over for Leg 6 of the Voyage, and the canoe will move to Vancouver’s Granville Public Marina and dock there until Saturday, August 12.
Executive Director of the Vancouver Maritime Museum, David Jordan said “To have the opportunity in hosting this incredible canoe and its crew with us at the Vancouver Maritime Museum Heritage Harbour is a real privilege and honour. The Hōkūleʻa is on an immense journey of importance and relevance that we as a museum stand behind and support. We hope they enjoy their time in Vancouver, and we look forward to welcoming them. It’s a fantastic opportunity to get up close and personal with a traditional Polynesian voyaging canoe so we encourage members of the public to come and show their support this weekend.”
“It has been an extraordinary experience sailing from Northwest to Southeast British Columbia and being welcomed by these special communities,” said Nainoa Thompson, Navigator and CEO of the Polynesian Voyaging Society. “It’s a blessing to end this leg’s journey at the Vancouver Maritime Museum where much of the history and stories of these lands and people are being housed and preserved.”
Hōkūleʻa has been sailing south from Southeast Alaska since the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS) held its global launch of the Moananuiākea Voyage in Juneau, Alaska two months ago on June 15. Leg 5 started in Prince Rupert, B.C. July 16 then sailed to Klemtu, Bella Bella, Hakai, Port Hardy, Alert Bay and Campbell River, with the crew engaging with First Nations communities at each stop. The remaining stops in British Columbia include Salt Spring and Victoria, then Hōkūleʻa will enter Washington State, returning to US waters.
The Moananuiākea Voyage, led by PVS, will cover an estimated 43,000 nautical miles around the Pacific, visiting 36 countries and archipelagoes, nearly 100 indigenous territories and more than 300 ports.