Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 29, Number 12, 1 December 2012 — Voyaging canoe arrives in Hawaiʻi [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Voyaging canoe arrives in Hawaiʻi

Hōkūle'a's sister eanoe Hikianalia has arrived in Hawai'i in preparation for the Polynesian Voyaging Society's 2013-2016 Worldwide Voyage. The new state-of-the-art voyaging eanoe - built by master boat builders in Aotearoa, New Zealand - arrived in Hilo Harbor Nov. 18 after leaving Aotearoa in early October and making a stop in Tahiti. Hikianalia is a 72-foot-long dou-ble-hull eanoe with electric motors powered by photovoltaic panels.

The high-tech eanoe was made from the same mold as the seven waka moana that Paeihe voyagers sailed to Hawai'i in 2011, according to the PVS web site. Accompanying Hōkūle'a on the worldwide voyage, Hikianalia will provide a second floating classroom and the main platform for eommunication and technology. Hōkūle'a and Hikianalia are Hawaiian names for stars Arcturus and Spica, respectively, whieh break the horizon together in Hawaiian skies. "It's been a privilege to bring Hikianalia home to Hawai'i," said Capt. Bob Perkins, who was part of the crew bringing the eanoe home. "She will finally meet her sister Hōkūle'a." Hikianalia was expected to sail from Hawai'i Island to O'ahu the weekend after its arrival. To track Hikianalia, or to learn more about the upcoming Worldwide Voyage, visit hokulea.org.

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Hikianalia in Mahina Bay, Tahiti, on her journey to Hilo. - Courtesy: Brenda Smith