The Voyages of the Hawaiian "Hōkūle'a": A Tribute to Eddie Akau

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Hōkūle'a (the star of gladness) is the name of the replica of the wooden sailing canoe that was used in ancient Hawaii. This vessel was created for the sole purpose of recreating the voyages of the Polynesian migration from Hawaii to the Tahitian Islands.

The following story that profoundly surrounds my memory is glossed over with a legendary man. This story is that of the 1978 voyage that famous legendary surfer Eddie Akau was a part of and lost his life for. I was 18 years old at the time and an avid beach attendee and knew of many surfers on our North Shore of Oahu. Eddie Aikau was one of them and he was a lifeguard as well. He was hired by the City & County of Honolulu in 1968 to take care of all the beaches from Haleiwa to Sunset Beach. As a surfer he even won the 1977 Duke Kahanamoku Surfing Championship!

Eddie Aikau was a crew member aboard the Hokulea after he volunteered to be part of that voyage in 1978. On March 16, 1978 the voyaging canoe set sail and about 16 miles south off the coast of the island of Molokai the Hokulea developed a leak and capsized. Eddie took his surfboard and started paddling towards the island of Lanai seeking help. The US Coast Guard eventually saved the rest of the crew, but Eddie Aikau was never to be seen again. This was the largest air-sea search in Hawaii history!

A tribute to a brave man, an avid surfer, saver of lives as a lifeguard (two weeks before this incident he had saved a tv producer) and a hero as he definitely lost his life to find help for his fellow crew members. Aloha and Mahalo my friend.

The picture to the right is the Hokulea voyaging canoe "Courtesy of JOAQUIN SIOPACK-The Honolulu Advertiser " and following is a list of voyages since the Hokulea came into existence.

• 1976- From Hawaii to Tahiti and back.
• 1978-The Eddie Akau mishap.
• 1980- Recreation of navigating without instruments by Native Hawaiian Navigator, Nainoa Thompson
• 1985-"The Voyage of Rediscovery" and the Hokulea traveled 16k miles to many destinations
• 1992- From Rarotonga and back to Hawaii via Tahiti
• 1995-Hokulea and sister ships Hawaiiloa and Makalii sailed to Marquesas Islands and back via Tahiti (spring)
• 1995- Hokulea and Hawaiiloa sailed from Seattle to San Diego along the West Coast of the U.S.
• 1999- From Hawaii to Rapa Nui and back.
• 2004-Navigator Thompson led this voyage through the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (including Midway and the Atolls)
• 2007 -Currently sailing from Hawaii to the Federated States of Micronesia. From there they will sail on to Japan!

What an outstanding creation the Polynesian Voyaging Society is bringing to us to give us more insight, information and knowledge on our Hawaiian History and Culture.

"MY LEGACY IS ALL ABOUT THE QUALITY OF RELATIONSHIPS I HAVE WITH OTHERS And..... Without that quality, tell me.....what is a Professional worth?"

All content is the property of Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman 2007 (except for courtesy picture of the Hokulea from the Honolulu Advertiser)

Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman's Mililani Hawaii Real Estate Blog 2007