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November 08, 2025
Landfall! Hōkūlea And Hikianalia Make Safe Landfall In Aotearoa After 17-Day Deep Sea Voyage
Waatea Team
Posted On November 8, 2025
After 17 days and more than 1,600 nautical miles of open-ocean voyaging, traditional double-hulled voyaging canoes Hōkūlea and Hikianalia made safe landfall this morning at Aotearoa’s Bay of Islands. The arrival marks the successful completion of Leg 15 of the Moananuiākea Voyage, a multi-year circumnavigation of the Pacific.
Because the canoes have arrived about a week ahead of the scheduled welcoming events and celebrations in Waitangi, Hōkūlea and Hikianalia and their crews will be under kapu until November 14. During this sacred period, the crews will quietly spend time in reflection, rest, and preparation for the official welcoming ceremonies and cultural protocols that will take place when they are formally received by the Tangata Whenua (Māori people of the land). The crew will be hosted by Te Tiriti o Waitangi Marae and Te Tai Tokerau communities.
The safe arrival into Aotearoa was especially gratifying for the crew since this deep sea journey from the Cook Islands to Aotearoa tested both skill and spirit. Navigating without modern instruments, the voyagers encountered multiple weather challenges including lightning storms, heavy cloud cover that obscured the stars, and the cold of southern latitudes.
Upon completion of the kapu period, the canoes and crews will take part in a series of events in Waitangi, Auckland and Aurere.
Scheduled Public Events in Aotearoa
Waitangi:
Friday, November 14 – The canoes will arrive at Te Tii Bay followed by a pōwhiri, a formal, sacred Māori welcoming ceremony at Te Tiriti o Waitangi Marae from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 15 – At dawn, a ceremony will be held to unveil a special carving representing Ngāti Ruawāhia, and a 40th Tribute ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. honoring Sir James Henare, Sir Hector Busby and Hawaiian leader Myron Pinky Thompson, Nainoa’s father who served as PVS president for about two decades.
Sunday, November 16 – The canoes will remain at Te Tii Bay through a series of events hosted by Te Tiriti o Waitangi Marae, with community support and in collaboration with the Polynesian Voyaging Society and Kamehameha Schools. Hōkūlea and Hikianalia then depart for Auckland.
Auckland:
Tuesday, November 18 – Hōkūlea and Hikianalia arrive in Waitematā Harbor and are formally welcomed by the Ngāti Whātua Orākei tribe.
Wednesday, November 19 – PVS CEO Nainoa Thompson is scheduled to deliver a presentation at the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education (WIPCE) about the 40-year voyaging relationship that has flourished between Hawaii and Aotearoa.
TBD – Public engagements and dockside canoe tours may take place in the vicinity of the New Zealand Maritime Museum.
Aurere:
Saturday, Nov. 22, 1:00 – 4:30pm – Tauhere, Sir Hek Busby Kupe Waka Centre, 4554 State Highway 10, Lake Ohia, Doubtless Bay. Weather-permitting on November 19, the canoes will sail north from Auckland for Aurere, the homeland of the late Māori Pwo Navigator and waka builder Sir Hector Busby, where the crew will honor his leadership and role in reviving Māori voyaging. The event will include an afternoon of family fun, Kaupapa Waka, and Hawaiian culture featuring Te Tai Tokerau Tārai Waka, crew of Hōkūlea and Hikianalia, and the students and staff of Kamehameha Schools.
Following their New Zealand engagements, the canoes will enter dry dock for maintenance and remain in Aotearoa for approximately six months to wait out the South Pacific hurricane season before continuing their journey through the Pacific in 2026.
About the Moananuiākea Voyage
The Moananuiākea Voyage is a 43,000-nautical mile circumnavigation of the Pacific by traditional voyaging canoe, aiming to ignite a movement of cultural and environmental stewardship, youth leadership, and community resilience. Learn more at hokulea.com. For the latest updates on the voyage, follow Polynesian Voyaging Society’s social media: @hokuleacrew on Facebook and Instagram. The live voyaging tracking map and updates can also be found at www.hokulea.com.
Image: the latest voyage plan
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