By Bernadette H. Carreon
Horizon news staff

Hawaii’s voyaging canoe Hokule’a arrived in Palau on Sunday at 3:15 p.m. from Yap with President Remengesau on board.
The voyaging canoe was welcomed by a huge crowd at the Neco Marine dock- the crowd trooped to the dock as early as 6 a.m. to get a glimpse of the canoe.
Hokule’a was accompanied by Alingano Maisu with a large Micronesian crew.
The voyaging canoe will be in Palau until April 5 and its crew will be touring Palau and the canoe will be opened for tours.
Last week, Remengesau flew to Yap to join the voyage to Palau. The canoe left Yap last Thursday.
Remengesau said that the voyage was a laudable effort and that traditional navigation has not been forgotten.
As the two canoes enter the country they were welcomed and accompanied to the dock by Palau’s war canoes.
A welcoming ceremony was held at the dock to greet the voyaging canoe and its crew.
Alingano Masu Captain Sesario Sewralur and Hokulea Captain Nainoa Thompson gave remarks tracing the history of the Hawaiian canoe.
While in Palau, the captains of both canoes will conduct educational programs to the students.
The crew also made a historical voyage presentation by Thompson during the dinner reception last night at Ngarachamayong Cultural Center hosted by the Palau government.
According to the voyage’s 2007 sail plan, Hokule‘a left Honolulu, O‘ahu, on January 11 to join Alingano Maisu in Kawaihae, Hawai‘i. The two canoes departed from Kawaihae on January 19; they returned to Kealakekua Bay for repairs on a cracked steering paddle on January 20; they departed again from Kealakekua Bay on January 23, for Majuro, sighted Johnston Atoll on Feb. 5, 804 miles S by W of Kawaihae, and continued on to Majuro.
The canoe then visited Pohnpei, Chuuk , Yap and Palau.
From Palau the canoes will return to Yap to concluded the Micronesian leg and will prepare its voyage to Japan.