Sunday, July 4, 1999 (8:30 a.m.)

Day at Sea: 20

Actual Position (From GPS unit on board escort boat).

July 02, Sunset (17:23): 00 degrees 10.37 minutes S; 141 degrees 09.17 minutes W

July 03, Sunrise (5:29): 00 degrees 57.01 minutes S; 140 degrees 39.49 minutes W

July 03, Sunset (17:23): 01 degrees 46.68 minutes S; 140 degrees 37.85 minutes W

July 04 Sunrise (5:35): 02 degrees 52.80 minutes S; 140 degrees 26.29 minutes W

Position (Navigator's Estimate from Pi'ikea Miller, Apprentice Navigator on "Hokule'a."):

July 03, Sunset: 04 degrees 58 minutes S; 61 miles E of the reference line

July 04, Sunrise: 06 degrees 14 minutes S; 54 miles E rof the eference line

Hokule'a continues to head Haka Malanai (S by E), doing 6.5 knots in 15 knots of easterly wind. The seas are moderate at 6-8 ft. with swells from Noio Malanai (SE by E) and Hikina (E). The weather is clear and sunny, with cumulus clouds.

The crew was finally able to hook another fish....a 20 lb. aku, which they ate for breakfast this morning. It was the first fish caught since the 7-9 lb. aku hooked on June 19.

Strategy: Hokule'a continues in fair weather on the third and final segment of the voyage to Nukuhiva. The navigators estimate the canoe is about180 miles north of the Marquesas Islands. They plan take a course due south (Hema) at sunset today, and to start looking for islands tomorrow morning.

Navigation

Latitude: The navigators used Pherkad and Kochab in the Little Dipper and Alrai in Cepheus for latitude estimates last night. These stars transit the meridian above the north celestial pole after midnight and in the early morning before sunrise.

Nightime navigation: Clear night full of planets and stars: Hokuloa (Venus), Hoku'ula (Mars), and Hikianalia (Spica) setting; the navigator's triangle (Keoe/Vega, Humu/Altair, Pira'etea/Deneb) rising in the early evening; Ikaika (Jupiter) and Makulu (Saturn) rising after midnight. La'aukupau (the 20th moon phase) rising at 10:30 pm.

Daytime navigation: sunrise and sunset (ENE/WNW); La'aukupau (the 20th moon phase) setting at 10 a.m.; swells from the E and SE by E.

  • How Non-Instrument Navigation is Done
  • Sun's Position on the Ecliptic
  • Moon Phases (June 1999-January 2000)
  • Rising Points of 21 Brightest Stars

    • Fishing report: 20 lb. aku

    Sea Life: terns, boobies.