Voyaging canoe Hokulea returns home

Three years, more than 46,000 miles, visiting more than 150 ports in 19 countries.    Hokulea returned home this morning triumphant from its journey to rally support around the globe to protect marine resources and preserve local cultures.   Hokulea is only 62-foot-long, a double hulled sailing canoe, wood and fiberglass and miles of lashing and rigging.  They navigate by the stars and the waves and the seabirds.
Some background here.     Other sailing canoes came up to partake of the festivities (see extra #4 showing them moored, Hokulea is the last one).  Each canoe came in separately, with Hokulea last.  Only Hokulea had her distinctive crab claw sails remain up, altho with no engine, she was towed in, as were most of the others.

Other extras:
1.  Showing the distinctive sails off Magic Island.
2.  The Polynesian Voyaging Society's banner in the big tent
3.  The south swell was building, this wave shows over the seawall at the end of Magic Island.

Conch shells sounded, chanting sprung up, kids played in the water, shouted greetings, whole families came down to spend the day.  It was a big production with much ceremony.   About 25,000 people turned out.    It was an amazing day.