Wayfinding Explorers Sailing to the Chesapeake Bay

Posted 4.1 8.16 by Carol Brighton

Ocean explores are no strangers to Virginia's shores, but the voyagers that have set their sights on the Chesapeake Bay haven't landed on our beaches before. Polynesian sailors on a historic round-the-world odyssey are scheduled to arrive in the region to deliver a call to protect our oceans and save our island planet just in time for Earth Day 2016 celebrations. The Hōkūleʻa sailors navigate without the aid of modern technology. Instead they rely on the traditional wayfinding methods that led their ancestors to populate and stay connected throughout the far-flung and remote islands of Polynesia. Following the stars and cues from nature like the waves, currents and wildlife, the crew of the 62 foot long by 20 foot wide twin hulled ocean going canoe are in the middle of a three year journey that will cover some 50,000 miles.

The Polynesian Voyaging Society gained international attention with the launch of the Hōkūleʻa 41 years ago with a series widely covered long-distance expeditions in Polynesia to demonstrate and revive the lost art of traditional navigation. Led by Society president, Nainoa Thompson, a pioneer in blue water navigation, the organization isn't just passing on ancient wisdom to a new generation of seafarers, they are sharing their island vision with folks all over the globe. By connecting and networking with the world's political and social navigators, their goal is to garner collective action to pursue a more sustainable planetary path. Thompson explains, "living as islanders teaches us that our natural world is a gift with limits, and that caring for this gift (and each other), can help us survive the urgent environmental and social challenges we are facing. As voyagers, we are blending tradition and technology to map a new course for the future, exploring our world in search of lessons, values and practices that can sustain our planet. The Hawaiian name for our voyage is Mālama Honua, which means to care for our earth."

The crew will spend the good part of a month in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and will be spreading their message through public events. Scheduled to arrive late April 22 at the James River Fishing Pier in Newport News, the voyagers will participate in the Mariner's Museum Earth Day celebration on the 23rd. On the 24th, they will sail into Yorktown departing May 8 for a stop in Tangier before heading to Old Town Alexandria and Washington, DC. The vessel will be in NYC from June 5-8. Check out locally scheduled events here. A VIMS talk is also scheduled for May 3. Follow on Facebook and view all East Coast port stops here.

In March, before arriving back in the United States for the first time since their departure from Hawaii 2 years ago, the crew made a stop in Cuba. Prior to that historic visit, they were welcomed to Moskito Island by Sir Richard Branson. Branson, along with Nainoa Thompson are members of the Ocean Elders, an influential group of public figures that includes Jackson Brown, Queen Noor, Ted Turner, Sylvia Earle and more working to address the many threats that our ocean and planet face. Read more or watch the video below to learn about the visit.

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