August 1, 2023 | Leg 5, Day 19.

A thick fog was sitting over the water this morning when I woke and looked out from the small hotel where our crew had been staying in Alert Bay. While some of the crew continued coordinating voyage logistics, several of us prepped the wa’a throughout the morning. We were visited by many locals and visitors who wanted to learn more about Hōkūle’a, some of whom generously offered gifts of jarred salmon, shirts, and more. In the early afternoon, four of us took a field trip with Randy, who belongs to the Namgis First Nation. He and his friend Roger drove us across the ocean channel to the opening of the Nimpkish River on two small boats to see where an early Namgis village site was located and where Randy has been working to create cabins for uses that will benefit his community. In the evening, we had a nice crew dinner and headed to our rooms early to prepare for an early crew call the next day. We were all grateful for another day to enjoy this beautiful landscape and the wonderful company of people who call this place home.

-Kaleohano Farrant