Hawaii Invades Japan!

The Hawaiian war fleet has arrived in Japan after five months at sea covered more than 8,500 miles. Well, ok, its just the one canoe, but its the thought that counts.

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — The Hawaiian canoe Hokulea (sic) sailed into the Japanese port of Yokohama on Saturday, completing a five-month journey of more than 8,500 miles across the Pacific.

The vessel, flying orange and burgundy sails, was met by the sounding of conch shells, hula dancers and a crowd of several hundred at the port, south of Tokyo.

Bruce Blankenfield, captain of the 10-member crew, said the 62-foot canoe, patterned after the crafts that ancient Hawaiian islanders used, made stops in the Marshall Islands and Truk, Yap and Palau in the Pacific before docking in Okinawa and working its way up the Japanese coastline.

"This is the culmination of our journey," he said. "We are going home after this."

Blankenfield said he expected the canoe, which departed from Hawaii in January, would arrive home in July.

The more correct spelling, according to their website, is Hokule'a. They must have dropped Alingano Maisu off at Yap on the way to Japan as they had planned.

• 

  By skh.pcola, Saturday, 9 June , 2007 @ 12:24 pm

  It is my unqualified opinion that a 62-foot marine craft that has “sails” is not a “canoe.” It is a sailboat. That’s like calling a battleship a raft.

Other Links to this Post