Hōkūle‘a, on the seas since 2013, arrives at North Cove Marina on June 5 and sails up the East River to the United Nations to celebrate World Oceans Day on June 8.
BY COLIN MIXSON | Aloha New York!
Taking a break from their bold endeavor to circumnavigate the globe with only the sun and stars as their guide, the brave crew of a traditional Polynesian voyaging canoe, Hōkūle‘a, will stop at Battery Park City’s North Cove Marina for a bit of Manhattan landlubbing on June 5.
A highlight of the crew’s time in Gotham will be a state of the seas address by Master Navigator Nainoa Thompson at the United Nations on June 8 as the international body celebrates the annual World Oceans Day.
The intrepid seamen and women are also hosting several other community events ––including a June 7 appearance at the American Museum of Natural History –– at which they will pass on both ancient tips for sailing by the stars and messages from coastal communities they have visited worldwide.
“Reaching New York City is a pinnacle point of our journey where we will be able to share what we have learned from the communities we have visited around the world,” said Thompson.
The Hōkūle‘a and her crew set sail from the Hawaiian Islands way back in 2013, heading west toward the setting sun and making numerous pit stops along the way, including layovers at such far-flung locales as New Zealand, Australia, Samoa, Mauritius, South Africa, Brazil, and Cuba before ultimately making their way to New York.
Between then and June 5, the Hawaiian vessel will have put four continents and three oceans between her and home, leaving the crew with one overwhelming desire come landfall — meeting the people of New York, according to Thompson.
“After sailing three years and 26,000 nautical miles, our crew is looking forward to engaging with the communities of New York City and learning about their efforts to care for [sic] city’s land, waterways, and ocean,” said Thompson.
That’s right, there’s no grog and girls –– or boys –– for these dedicated sailors, but lectures, lessons, and a fair bit of ceremony spanning their two-week stay.
At the United Nations on June 8, the crew of the Hōkūle‘a will take part in several events as part of World Oceans Day, and, having recently voyaged through the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic, give an account of the watery parts of the world and the communities that cling to their edges. In a traditional Hawaiian ceremony dockside and onboard, they will present UN officials with “ocean protection declarations” regarding the need to ensure the earth’s sustainability that the sailors collected from their various hosts throughout the journey.
Due to space limitations, the UN events, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., are invitation-only, but the vessel will then sail the East River, a spectacle that has already drawn attention from boating enthusiasts and ocean advocacy groups such as the non-profit HarborLAB, which hopes to celebrate the occasion by launching several crafts from its base in Long Island City made of reed and inspired by Ethiopian work boats.
Three days ahead of the UN event, on Sunday, June 5, New Yorkers are invited to witness the historic arrival of the Hōkūle‘a as it sails up the Hudson and docks at North Cove Marina at 385 South End Avenue in Battery Park City at around 9 a.m. The vessel’s coming will be accompanied with cultural performances by Native American tribes and local hula hālau troupes, in a celebration set to last until 3 p.m.
The following Tuesday, June 7, Captain Chad Kālepa Baybayan and Apprentice Navigator Celeste Manuia Ha’o will talk wayfinding at the Hayden Planetarium Space Theater at the American Museum of Natural History (enter at 81st Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue), at 7 p.m. Admission is $15, $13.50 for seniors, and $12 for museum members.
On Thursday, June 9, Baybayan and crew will regale New Yorkers with their adventures across the Seven Seas at Patagonia New York Soho, 72 Greene Street, between Spring and Broome Streets, at 7:30 p.m.
The crew conclude their public events in style at Pier 26 on the Hudson at N. Moore Street in Tribeca, on Saturday, June 11, where they’ll welcome the public to tour the canoe and partake in a free festival, dubbed Kamehameha Day, featuring the Hawaiian Airlines Liberty Challenge, one of the world’s premiere competitive outrigger canoe races.
The Hōkūle‘a is a 40-year-old replica of ancient Polynesian voyaging canoes, whose twin-hull design gives her the ability to withstand ocean swells. Her iconic triangular sails lend her speeds of up to 20 knots.
The Hōkūle‘a will depart New York City on June 18, and is scheduled to conclude the remaining 34,000 miles of her daunting task around this time next year, when it will have passed through the Panama Canal, braved the Pacific, and returned to her home berth in Honolulu, a world in her wake.
The route of Hōkūle‘a, from its 2013 departure from Honolulu to its return next year.
