HONOLULU — After another brief delay Monday morning, the voyaging canoes Hokule‘a and Hikianalia departed Sand Island, Oahu, for Hilo at approximately 11:15 a.m.
The canoes were supposed to leave the dock at Sand Island at 7:30 a.m. However, the Polynesian Voyaging Society was notified that a crew member who participated on a training sail last Thursday tested positive for COVID-19.
Out of an abundance of caution, crew members who were also on that training sail were tested to ensure they were not infected. All of the crew members’ test results were negative, so the canoes were finally able to depart.
Hokule‘a and Hikianalia are expected to arrive in Hilo on Wednesday afternoon.
After clearing customs and provisioning the canoes in Hilo, the crew hopes to depart for Tahiti as early as Thursday afternoon.
Depending on the weather, the voyage to Tahiti will take approximately 20 days.