Feb. 22, 2000 a.m.; 17 days since departure--A gift

Source: Sam Low

A favorable wind from the east blew all day (Feb. 21) and throughout the evening. Hokule'a continued to sail due north. As a result, the student navigators--Shantell, Kahualaulani, Ka'iulani--estimate we got back on our new reference course at sunset.

At 9 degrees N, the reference course heads Haka Hoo'lua (N by W) to intersect 20.5 degrees N latitude at a point 60 miles east of cape Kumukahi, the easternmost point of the Big Island of Hawai'i.

At this intersection, the canoe will turn west to sail into the Big Island. Shantell Ching estimates we reached 9 degrees N at 2 p.m yesterday. The student navigators decided to continue N ('Akau) for another 12 hours to give the canoe some more easting in case the wind became fickle again. "If the wind continues in this direction, we are in good shape, says Nainoa."

Some difficulties still remain because for the first nine days of the voyage (starting on Feb. 5) Nainoa suffered from the flu and the canoe was beset by squally weather: "I'm a little worried about the dead reckoning because my illness and the squally weather could have made my navigation less accurate. But not too worried, because we have been conservative in our estimates, and with this wind we won't end up west of Hawai'i. But I agree, let's keep going north for another twelve hours to be sure we stay east. I want you guys to know that I am smiling inside. You are doing very well; your estimated position and mine are not far off.

During the night the wind shifted north about one and a half houses, and at 9 a.m. this morning, Hokule'a was sailing haka ho'olua (N by W) at six knots, directly on course for Hawai'i. Yesterday the crew caught a130-150 lb. ahi.

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