Hōkūleʻa crew sights land in the Tuamotus, continues toward Taputapuātea

The crew of the Polynesian voyaging canoe, Hōkūleʻa sighted distant lights on the horizon, Saturday—marking their first visual confirmation of land since departing Hilo on June 3. A safety crew aboard the Hikianalia confirmed it was the island of Rangiroa in the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia.

The sail from Hilo to French Polynesia spanned 18 days, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing Moananuiākea Voyage, a four-year circumnavigation of the Pacific to deepen ancestral connections and amplify the global call to care for Earth.

The voyaging canoes Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia will now continue directly to Taputapuātea on the island of Ra‘iātea—sacred homeland of Polynesian voyaging and a cultural cornerstone of the Pacific – where welcome ceremonies and protocol are planned on Tuesday.

Over the past few days, crew members had observed classic signs of nearing land, including the presence of land-nesting seabirds and changes in ocean patterns. These natural indicators, used by traditional Polynesian navigators for generations, confirmed that their journey across more than 2,000 nautical miles was drawing closer to its next chapter.

The canoes will remain in French Polynesia for approximately one month. Following ceremonies and engagements in Taputapuātea, Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia will voyage on to Tahiti, where a large welcome celebration is scheduled in Papeʻetē on Saturday, June 28.

Follow the voyage at www.hokulea.com.