The new crew members of the traditional Polynesian voyaging canoe Hokulea’a and her modern guide vessel Hikianalia arrived on Monday night’s flight and were at the Tauese P.F. Sunia Ocean Center yesterday morning for a tour and were welcomed by the superintendent of the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa, Gene Brighouse.

Yesterday’s event was attended not only by the crewmembers (old and new) but also the captains of both vessels.

NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa is inviting everyone out this coming Friday at 11 a.m. at the Malaloa dock to bid farewell to the two vessels and their new crew as they continue their Malama Honua World Wide Voyage of the Pacific. Over the next couple of months they will be heading first to Vavau, Tonga, then the Kermadec Islands and finally on this leg of their journey — to New Zealand.

The two voyaging canoes steered by their previous crews were greeted by a large crowd on the beach at Utulei when they arrived in late August and during their stay they were honored by the Fono, wined, dined by the Governor and took part in creating a new mural at the Ocean Center with their official artist, the famed Hawaii painter, Wyland.

After a brief delay because of the weather, they voyaged to Apia, Samoa to attend the United Nations Small Island Developing States Conference in early September where they were also enthusiastically greeted and entertained.

Upon leaving Samoa, the weather once again failed to cooperate and although headed to Tokelau first, then Swains Island and back to American Samoa, they had to skip the Tokelau visit.  However, Swains descendants came ‘home’ from all around the world to welcome the seafarers to their shores.

Since arriving back in Pago Pago Harbor the crews have been busy with Google hangouts, sphere casts, school presentations, teacher workshops, and two sanctuary learning projects in Fagatele and Aunuu. The two vessels are part of the Polynesian Voyaging Society.