Even though Hōkūle‘a isn't sailing long distances at the moment (she's visiting the beautiful island of Kaho‘olawe), our crews and volunteers are still fulfilling their kuleana of working within the community.
Embarking on the dangerous (yet awe-inspiring) voyage to Palmyra Atoll required each and every crew member to rely on his or her mates while being truly accountable to others.
Crew member Angela Fa‘anunu shares some of her photos from her journey. It is easy to see the commraderie that grew on the voyage.
Recently, students from around the world visited and sailed upon the Hōkūle'a as part of their curriculum with the United States Institute on the Environment (USIE). After learning about the Hōkūle'a and her mission, the students pondered how the worldwide voyage could benefit their home countries. Crew member, Jenna Ishii, shares a few moments from the USIE sail.
In celebration of World Oceans Day, the crew of Hōkūle‘a share some of their footage from the recent voyage to Palmyra. This pristine coral reef system is a wonderful example of how our oceans can rebound from extreme damage with just a little care.
The Nature Conservancy Hawai‘i's senior scientist and cultural advisor, Sam ‘Ohukani‘ōhi‘a Gon, shared with us why he felt the Hōkūle‘a voyage to Palmyra Atoll is important. With the arrival of four crews (arrival and return crews from both Hōkūle‘a and Kama Hele), the atoll's population jumped to 42 - the most number of people since World War II.
Was the human impact of the Hōkūle'a crews on Palmyra Atoll worth it?
Unfortunately, as Hōkūle‘a traveled back to Hawaiʻi from Palmyra Atoll, the crew experienced some incredibly bad weather. Because of the heavy rains and high seas, the opportunities for cameras to come out were rare. Luckily, crew member Kaleo Wong was still able to snap some incredible shots.
His photo journal takes us from their time on Palmyra Atoll through some of the voyage home. It's amazing how beautiful their journey is.
Russell Amimoto became our newest deep-sea captain after successfully bringing Hōkūle‘a home from Palmyra Atoll. Here he shares a few of the images he took in the waters of Palmyra.
Ho‘omaika‘i ‘ana e Russell!
Gary Bulson was on the crew of the Kama Hele escort boat on the way to Palmyra. His presence on board certainly increased our web traffic from Maui! Additionally, his photos have provided a whole new picture of life and work aboard the Kama Hele. From their Honolulu departure to their dolphin escort into Palmyra's waters to the arrival of the return crew, Gary shares a few of his Palmyra voyage images.
After a voyage frought with multiple challenges, the crew of Hōkūle‘a and Kama Hele returned home from Palmyra Atoll to Honolulu, where friends and family waited to greet them. Crew member Mike Taylor shares some photos that capture what it was like to return home on Hōkūle‘a.
For each of our crew members, the impacts of the voyage to Palmyra Atoll were intense. Using the wisdom of our ancestors, we overcame incredible difficulties to not only reach our destination, but to learn what is needed to chart the course for the next journey.
Crewmember Mike Taylor shares just one of his learnings from the Palmyra voyage.
