Leg 5: Tahiti to Hawai'i

Photos posted February 13-- Photo 1: Nainoa goes over navigation with his students Shantell, Kahua, and Ka'iu, Sunday Morning, February 13. After a hard night of dodging many squalls, the navigators discuss their position. Because the night sky was almost totally clouded over,they had no opportunity to observe the stars, so they must estimate where they are by dead reckoning--averaging various headings, speeds, and deviations from their course. / Photo 2: A ghostly-looking freighter passes Hokule'a in the misty rain. / Photo 3: Passing mail and photos between escort boat and canoe.

Feb. 14: Clear Skies; Determining Latitude from Star Pairs

Feb. 14--Reading Clouds: The Road of the Wind (with photo) by Nainoa Thompson

Photos posted February 14--Photo 1: Hokule'a Sailing in 10 knots of wind under clear skies / Photo 2: Silhouettes on Evening Watch--Joey and Chad at Sunset. / Photo 3: Bright morning: Snake Ah Hee / Photo 4: Documentor Sam Low: Out from Behind the Camera / Photo 5: Happy Valentine's Day from the Crew to Loved Ones Back Home.

Feb. 15: Nainoa's Weather Analysis at Sunrise: Light Winds and Fair Weather Ahead

Photos posted February 15-- Photo 1: Fair-wind clouds at sunrise / Photo 2: First fish: a small aku pulled in by Hokule'a fisherman Bruce Blankenfeld / Photo 3: Ready for sashimi.

Feb. 16: Trying to hold the course line; Hokule'a and the Internet

Photos posted February 16-- Photo 1: Heading for Home: Hokule'a's Manu / Photo 2: Six Canoe Sisters (The most ever on a single Hokule'a crew--Kona, Kau'i, Ka'iulani, Ming, Pomai, Shantell). / Photo 3: Ka'iulani and Shantell Going Over the Navigation (Shan is looking intense!) / Photo 4: Ka'iulani Steering in a Light Rain Squall. Apprentice navigators Ka'iulani and Kahualaulani stand longer and more frequent watches than the rest of the crew--six hours on and six off./ Photo 5: Darkening Skies:February 15-sunset Tava steers into an impending line of squalls, bringing the canoe slightly off the wind so a crew working at the bow can bring down the jib. / Photo 6: Bruce Steering: The sweep is tied to port because Hokule'a is trimmed to have a 'windward helm'--to steer herself off the wind. In fickle winds, Nainoa experiments with shifting weight on the canoe, trimming, and changing the sails to achieve top performance. / Photo 7: Breakfast Meeting at Sea, February 16.

Feb. 17: A New Sail Plan

Photos posted February 17-- Photo 1: Feb. 17--Hokulea's sailing in rougher seas, stronger winds. / Photo 2: The crew lowers the back rig to put on a smaller sail for the stronger winds. / Photo 3: Nainoa and Bruce pulls in another small aku just after sunrise on Feb. 17. / Photo 4: Ono! Fresh raw fish for breakfast!

Feb. 18: A New Reference Course Line

Photos posted February 18-- Photo 1: Feb 18-Hokule'a's steering sweep is tied up; the canoe, balanced by her sail trim, is steering herself in 15 knot winds and steep eight foot swells. / Photo 2: Pomai, Tava, and Nainoa adjusts the sheet lines as after a squall sweeps across the desk of the canoe. / Photo 3: Nainoa and Kaiulani going over the navigation at sunrise. / Photo 4: Navigator Chad Baybayan / Photo 5: Veteran Voyager and Radio Operator Mike Tongg.

Feb. 20 a.m.: Crossing the Equator

Photos posted February 20-- Photo 1: Feb 19-Hokule'a sailing in 25 knots winds, 8-foot swells; the winds have picked up after Hokule'a entered the northern hemisphere. / Photo 2: Hokule'a sailing under a squall. / Photo 3: The novice crew (crossing the equator for the first time) entertains the veterans. Dr. Tim Sing's newly formed halau. / Photo 4: Nainoa gets ready to carve up the a'u caught this morning, Feb. 20 / Photo 5: The crew steering at the back of the canoe.

Feb. 20: Reading the Clouds and Sea State (by Nainoa Thompson)

Feb. 20 p.m.: Sailing on the Edge of the Wind

Feb. 21 a.m.: Gaining Back Some Easting

Feb. 22 a.m.: On the reference course line again and heading home

Feb. 23: Strong trade winds; putting up a storm sail.

Photos Sent from Na'alehu Elementary School, 3rd Grade, on the Big Island: Tracking Hokule'a--Photo 1: A student logged onto the website: Where are they? What are they doing today? / Photo 2: The tracking board: plotting the position of the canoe. / Photo 3: Students drawing pictures of the canoe. / Photo 4: The finished drawings. / Photo 5: Drawings posted. / Photo 6: Hokule'a is Calling! Pomaikalani Bertelmann of the Big Island called Na'alehu Elementary on Feb. 23 to give them a live update from the canoe. (Courtesy of Vanessa Sales, 3rd Grade Teacher; Mary Aranguena, Technology Coordinator; Matt Willard, Technology Assistant)

Photos posted February 23-- Photo 1: Hokule'a sailing at sunrise, Feb. 22. / Photo 2: Charging Home--brisk 25-30 knot tradewinds are driving the canoe homeward. / Photo 3: The winds have been so strong, the canoe had to heave to in ten-foot seas to tighten the rigging. / Photo 4: The crew tightens the rigging; the hull almost hidden by the large swells. / Photo 5: Mike Tongg pulling in something big on the fishing line. / Photo 6: The prize: a 130 lb. ahi. Photo 7: The 10 a.m.-2 p.m watch.

Feb. 24: Moderating trade winds

Feb. 25: Entering the Search Area. The navigators have been measuring the altitudes of Hokupa'a and stars crossing the meridian near the horizon at night to determine their latitude. The estimate for Feb. 24 p.m. near midnight was 17 degrees 30' from a measurement of Miaplacidus, which was less than 3 degrees above the horizon; actual latitude was 17 degrees 09'; so the latitude estimate of the navigators in training (Shantell, Kahualaulani, and Ka'iulani) was within 21 miles of their actual latitude after almost 2000 miles of sailing and navigating. Winds are forecasted to be at 15-25 knots as the canoe approaches Hawai'i.

Photos posted February 25--Photo 1: Feb. 25--Hokule'a sailing home under gray skies; storm sail on back mast.. / Photo 2: Two days earlier, the sea was wind-whipped and rough. / Photo 3: The canoe stopped and put down its sails in the strong winds to put up a smaller sail. / Photo 4: Only the top of the twin masts were visible from behind a huge swell. / Photo 5: Portrait of Pomaikalani Bertelmann.

Feb. 26: Report from Na Pua No'eau students Likeke Sawyer of Moloka'i and Kahula Hoke of Hawai'i, based on a call from navigator in training Kahualaulani Mick.

Photos posted February 26--Photo 1: Feb. 26--Sunrise. / Photo 2: Nainoa on lookout for land. / Photo 3: The crew on lookout for land. / Photo 4: Mike, Kau'i, and Tava manning the sweeps to keep the canoe on its downwind course toward Hawai'i.

Feb. 26: Looking for Land

Feb. 27: Home

Photos /Feb. 27: Photo 1: Sailing off Maui. / Photo 2: Sailing off Maui (close-up). / Photo 3: Along the Valleys of East Moloka'i. / Photo 4: Toward Kauankakai, Moloka'i

Feb. 27 Moloka'i Welcome (From Cat Fuller) / Moloka'i Welcome (From Likeke Sawyer)

Hokule'a Crew / Tahiti to Hawai'i 2000: Snake Ah Hee, Chad Baybayan, Pomaikalani Bertelmann, Bruce Blankenfeld, Shantell Ching, Sam Low, Joey Mallot, Kahualaulani Mick, Ka'iulani Murphy, Kau'i Pelekane, "Tava" Teikihe'epo Taupu, Nainoa Thompson, Mike Tongg, Dr. Patrice Ming-Lei Tim Sing, Kona Woolsey. (Total: 15.)

Kama Hele Crew / Tahiti to Hawai'i 2000: Alex and Elsa Jakubenko, Makanani Atwood (Hawai'i), Eric Deane (Tahiti), Mate Hoatua (Tahiti), Richard Konn (Tahiti), and Teikinui Tamarii (Tahiti). About the Escort Boat Kama Hele and its Owners, Alex and Elsa Jakubenko.Photo: Escort Boat Owners Elsa and Alex Jakubenko in Rapa Nui.