On February 2, 2009, Hokule'a will sail past Kilauea Lighthouse on the island of Kauai to kick-off a commemorative year honoring Hawai’i’s first National Wildlife Refuge, which is now established as Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. (Photo below: Hokule'a sailing past Nihoa in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Click photo to enlarge.)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service office of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is planning a very important milestone: the upcoming Centennial year for the Nation’s 12th and Hawai’i’s first National Wildlife Refuge. To do so properly, Hokule`a, sponsored by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, will voyage past Kilauea Lighthouse on the island of Kauai February 3, 2009 to kick-off a commemorative year of activities honoring the kūpuna who sailed before us while celebrating a century of conservation efforts and honoring the generations of mālama `āina. 

For more information: contact Ann Bell at 808-792-9532.

Background: On February 3, 1909 Theodore Roosevelt set aside the islets and reefs from Nihoa to Kure (except Midway) as Hawaiian Islands Reservation.  Later renamed the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge, the site was established to provide a form of legal protection for the millions of seabirds inhabiting the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, at a time during our past when seabirds were being slaughtered by the thousands for their plumage and eggs.  Albatross and other seabirds were an easy harvest for poachers, even as far away as the shores of our Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, harming the very essence of this productive marine ecosystem.  One hundred years later, on February 3, 2009, we are beginning a commemorative year for the centennial of this conservation achievement with a gathering of conservation leaders, kūpuna, volunteers, and the past and present caretakers of this special place. Hōkūlea will arrive carrying a symbol of  hope, inspiration and to honor those who sailed before us to this special place.  This celebration will honor not only the conservation efforts of the past, but for setting the stage for the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument today, and to share in the vision of a healthful future for the wildlife and culture intrinsic to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
 
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is hosting the event below the Kīlauea Lighthouse at Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge to recognize the care and commitments from those who voyaged before us to the northern part of the archipelago and also to respect families that have direct connections to Kauai's neighboring island of Nihoa. The Service chose to hold this event on the island of Kauai because of this genealogical connection, as well as its biological and management connection for our agency.  Kilauea Point is alive with seabirds and marine life and it was the site for the earlier administrative operations for Tern Island, a remote island station in the midst of the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge. 

In March 2009, a group of navigators, captains & crew will take part in a training voyage to Palmyra & Kiritimati (Christmas Island). Visiting these atolls will provide crew with the opportunity to examine two diverse environments, as well as obtain valuable training for future voyages. Upon their return, they will share experiences and lessons learned.

Palmyra Atoll is located approximately 1,052 miles S/SW of Hawai’i. It is one of the most pristine, diverse & spectacular reef systems in the world.

Kiritimati (Christmas Island) is the largest coral atoll & is known for its millions of nesting tropical birds. Unlike Palmyra, it is inhabited; its population consists largely of those of Polynesian & Micronesian descent. Its existence, along with a number of Pacific island nations is said to be threatened by climate change and the resultant rise in sea levels.

From the PVS Newsletter, December 2008. Click on the link for a pdf version of the newsletter (1000 KB).

Sam Kalalau, crewmember on the first voyage of Hokule'a from Hawai'i to Tahiti in 1976, passed on on Oct. 21, 2008, at his home in Hana, Maui. He was 85.

Polynesian Voyaging Society Founder Herb Kane composed the following remembrance:

As I recall I believe it was Sam Kaai who first told Sam Kalalau about our Hokulea project. Later when we took Hokule'a to Lahaina from Oahu on the first leg of the shake-down and training cruise, Sam Kalalau and one of his sons would drive all the way from Hana to Lahaina every Saturday morning to sail with us. We would paddle north and catch the brisk Northeast Tradewind off Ka'anapali, then sail to Molokai.

After lunch in a quiet cove and discussion of the morning sail, we would broad reach on the strong afternoon wind back to Maui. No one could hold the steering paddle rock-steady like Sam. He became our principal steersman and trained others, giving me time to work with others in handling the sheets and general seamanship. Sam was no a young man, but he was among the strongest, and the most respected for his knowledge of the sea after many years of fishing the rough waters off windward Maui.

After five weeks we selected a Maui crew and sailed to Hawaii. Our departure was at night  because winds and seas in the Alenuihaha Channel are normally less troublesome at night than during daylight hours. But we did get into a series of rain squalls, each stronger than the one before, and winds piling up waves to 10 feet, judging by the phosphorescence on the wave crests which was the only light, there being no moon. At first light when some judgement of our speed could be observed we were approaching the lee of the Kohala mountains, and with the wind on our port beam, several of us guessed we were reaching at something over 16 knots. As the wind moderated in the wind-shadow of the mountains, I remember Sam turning his steering paddle over to someone else and joining others in bailing the canoe.

Later, when a crew selection was made for the voyage to Tahiti, Sam was an obvious choice.

ohana friends, aloha

for those tracking Maizu canoe, it arrived yesterday in Ngulu (between yap and palau) safely (we have a large Typhoon out her right now , typhoon Rammasun, and it is very sloppy , gnarly weather..) . I gave sessario and crew the weather over HF this morning and advised them to hang in the Ngulu lagoon until tomorrow ....they had no word on the typhoon...lucky boys they got to a radio...they are headed back to yap

In palau , they fixed up the railings and did some repairs, good to see the canoe at sea...

enjoy the weekend/bb

"To Honor Mau," a book by crew member and Star Bulletin writer Gary T. Kubota, with Kaimana Barcarse (Hawaiian translation) and James Hadde (photos) on Hokule'a's journey to Micronesia has been published by Pacific Renaissance Press. For information contact the press at PacificRenaissancePress@hotmail.com. A review of the book by Sky Barnhart appeared in the Maui Weekly on March 18, 2008.