The Hokulea’ and the Mathawmaram, which were on a class navigation training, departed from Guam on May 13 at around 9:30 a.m.
The Mathawmaram arrived in Yap on May 17 at 10 p.m. while the Simeon Hokulea’, which was supposed to arrive in the afternoon on the following day, did not show up.
The canoe had drifted to Palau after encountering bad weather, making it hard to continue sailing. The crew of the Hokulea’ had done some repair work on the canoe just before they departed from Palau on Wednesday, June 9.
The Simeon Hokulea’ sailed into the Waneday Channel along with Maisu at around 3 p.m. yesterday afternoon.
Maisu is the double hulled sailing canoe given to Mau Piailug as a gift from the Polynesian Voyaging Society during their first voyage to Japan, which came through the Caroline Islands.
The crewmembers of Simion Hokulea docked at Marina pier where a group of officials from the state government, including the families of the crewmembers, friends and the public, had been awaiting for their arrival. The welcoming for the canoes was a moving one as the Hokulai’ led the way in through the Colonia passage.
The Maisu is captained by Sesario Sewralur who is the instructor for navigation at Palau Community College.
Sewralur worked as an instructor for Yap Traditional Navigation Society before moving on to Palau.
