Wa’akaulua (Hawaiian Sailing Canoe)

Sail the Sea The Ancient Hawaiian Way!

Holo i ke Kai (Sail the Sea) The ancient Hawaiian way. In approximately 400 A.D., Wa’akaulua (pronounced wah-ah-kow-loo-uh), or double-hulled sailing craft, took Polynesian settlers, their domestic animals and staple plants from the South Pacific to Hawaii. In the centuries that followed, the Wa’a Kaulua and its more numerous relative the W’a Kaukahi (Outrigger Canoe) remained essential for travel, fishing, surfing, diplomacy, and war.

Today you can experience the traditional sailing methods used centuries ago while enjoying a combination of sailing/paddling, learning about Hawaiian history, culture, geology, and traditions of canoe sailing. Guests will enjoy sailing and/or paddling around the Hilo Bay taking in breathtaking views of the coast of Hilo Pali Ku (spacious Hilo of the many standing cliffs), Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa volcanos, Moku Ola (sometimes called Coconut Island) and the beauty of historic Hilo Bay.

Enjoy relaxing, hearing ancient legends and modern myths, swimming and talking story on this Cultural/Historical journey linking past and present.