Hōkūleʻa - San Francisco Welcoming Ceremony The public was invited to witness a ceremonial welcome for legendary Polynesian voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa at San Francisco’s Aquatic Park Cove, the latest stop on the canoe’s four-year circumnavigation of the Pacific called the Moananuiākea Voyage. The double-hulled canoe and its crew were escorted by the Coast Guard and greeted by a flotilla of outrigger paddling canoes, a San Francisco fire boat and various other water vessels. The canoe’s arrival marks a significant milestone, being the first time in 28 years that Hōkūleʻa has visited the Bay Area. About Hōkūle’a: A symbol of cultural revival, Hōkūleʻa’s story is being shared on this journey to inspire other indigenous communities. This replica of an ancient Polynesian voyaging canoe was built 49 years ago and revitalized voyaging and navigation traditions throughout the Pacific. The canoe’s twin hulls allow her to handle large ocean swells and recover easily in the troughs of waves, and ...