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Hawaiian Canoe Traveling the Globe Will Dock in Queens This Spring

By Jeanmarie Evelly | April 15, 2016 10:55am | Updated on April 18, 2016 8:44am
 The Hōkūleʻa will be at Gantry Plaza State Park in June, as well as in Battery Park and TriBeCa.
The Hōkūleʻa will be at Gantry Plaza State Park in June, as well as in Battery Park and TriBeCa.
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Courtesy of the Polynesian Voyaging Society

HUNTERS POINT — A canoe from Hawaii that's sailing around the world will stop in Long Island City this spring, part of a four-year voyage for the ship that aims to promote sustainability.

The Hōkūleʻa, a double-hulled canoe with sails built in the 1970s in the same style as ancient Hawaiian vessels, is expected to dock at Gantry Plaza State Park on June 8 and stay in the city for about two weeks.

In addition to its stop in Queens, the Hōkūleʻa is also expected to spend time at the North Cove Marina in Battery Park City on June 5 and at Pier 26 in TriBeCa on June 11, according to the Polynesian Voyaging Society, which operates the boat.

The canoe, which measures 62 feet long and 20 feet across, will be open for tours to the community during its time in the city, though the exact schedule is still being worked out, organizers said.

The visit is one leg of a global journey for the Hōkūleʻa, which set sail from Hawaii three years ago and is expected to return to the islands next year after visiting 27 nations and traveling more than 60,000 miles.

The trip, called the "Mālama Honua" mission — which translates to "taking care of Island Earth" — aims to promote green living and sustainability, while also sharing Polynesian culture with other communities.

"Wherever it goes, they're highlighting indigenous communities and they're highlighting sustainability efforts," said Kim Davidson, vice president of Halawai, a group that promotes Hawaiian and Pacific Island culture.

It's working with the Waterfront Alliance to spread the word about Hōkūleʻa's visit to the city, the first time the ship has visited New York.

The canoe — which doesn't use instruments to navigate, instead relying on the sun, the stars and other tactics — has been making trips throughout Polynesia for decades, with its first journey from Hawaii to Tahiti taking place in 1975. 

For more information and for updates on Hōkūleʻa's New York schedule, visit the Polynesian Voyaging Society's website. Exact dates may change depending on sailing conditions, the group said.