Crew, Sailor Extraordinaire
Mr. Kazu Nishimura, an accomplished off shore racing sailor and president of Compass Course Limted, is a boat building consutlant and a sail coordinator and coach. He writes for several sailing magazines, and helped navigate the Japan seas during Hōkūle‘a's 2007 voyage. He first heard of Hōkūle‘a through Tiger Espere who was in Japan at the time and later introduced Mr. Nishimura to PVS lead navigator Nainoa Thompson in Hawai‘i.
"This voyage to Palmyra is the first time I'll have a first-hand experience with Bruce's star navigation. I want to watch and learn. I envy the younger generation as they learn first-hand these navigating skills from Bruce."
"As Hōkūle‘a sailed mostly throughout Polynesia, it seemed as though it were only for the Polynesians. Since it has sailed to Japan it has opened up its knowledge to other parts of the Pacific. And, we in Japan now feel a connection to it. It has created a Pacific Family. When it travels beyond the Pacific to the rest of the world, it will bring us with it, as we are part of its Pacific Family. As the worldwide voyage progresses, it will create a larger family, and invite the youth of the world to its knowledge. If it is possible, I want to be a part of this sharing."