A 10-person crew sailing the traditional Polynesian voyaging canoe Hikianalia will visit the Channel Islands Harbor from October 10-14.

Hikianalia has sailed more than 2,800 miles across the Pacific to California carrying a message about the critical need to address climate change by demonstrating the value of nature, the oceans and indigenous knowledge. The crew is sailing the coast of California using solar and wind power as well as using traditional Polynesian wayfinding techniques: following cues from nature including the sun, stars, waves and birds.

Visitors are invited to meet the crew and tour Hikianalia, which will be docked at the Channel Islands Maritime Museum, during the visit. Here are the opportunities to participate:

Wednesday, October 10 (4 p.m.) -  Arrival & Welcome Ceremony at Channel Islands Maritime Museum 

Watch the Hikianalia as it enters the Harbor. Kayakers, canoers, and paddleboarders are welcome to follow Hikianalia in. After the Hikianalia enters, join members of the Barbareno/Ventureno Band of Mission Indians (Chumash) and the Hawaiian community to welcome the crew at the Channel Islands Maritime Museum.

Friday, October 12 (6 p.m. to 8 p.m.) - Crew Presentation, Channel Islands Maritime Museum 

Come talk story with the crew! The crew calls their presentations “talk story” sessions because they are a great way to ask questions and interact with crew members. Open to the public on a first-come, fist-registered basis, the presentations are for people of all ages interested in voyaging, traditional wayfinding, Hawaiian culture and engaging dialog about how we can all mālama honua, care for our Island Earth. This is a free family- friendly event. Please preregister for the event here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/california-voyage-of-the-hikianalia-crew-presentation-tickets-50933906686

Saturday, October 13 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) - Dockside Canoe Tours, Channel Islands Maritime Museum 

Ever wonder what it's like to sail, navigate and live for weeks at sea aboard a Hawaiian voyaging canoe? Come and tour the canoe and meet the voyagers. Hikianalia crewmembers will be hosting dockside open-house canoe tours and welcomes families and people of all ages to visit this very unique canoe.

About the Hikianalia

Hikianalia, the wind- and solar-powered canoe built by the Okeanos Foundation for the Sea, is the sister vessel of the famed Hōkūleʻa. Hikianalia is the Hawaiian name for the star Spica, which rises together with Hōkūleʻa (Arcturus) in Hawaiʻi. They are sister stars because they break the horizon together at the latitude of the Hawaiian islands. Launched on September 15, 2012, Hikianalia was designed specifically for the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage. The canoe started as an escort vessel to Hōkūleʻa and is now used as a floating classroom blending ancient wisdom with modern solutions. Hikianalia specializes in scientific exploration of marine resources and training for the next generation of voyagers. Values and behavior practiced on the deck of the canoe including how to conserve resources, care for our oceans and fellow crewmembers are shared as a model for how we can live sustainably on islands or anywhere in the world. She combines the latest ecological technology with the heritage of voyaging tradition: each of her hulls contains an electric motor powered by onboard photovoltaic panels that convert sunlight to electric propulsive energy. With a zero carbon footprint, her design supports the “Mālama Honua” (care for Island Earth) mission.

Learn more by visiting http://www.hokulea.com/