Check the Maritime Center website for updates…
The following is from an email received from Jake Beattie at the Northwest Maritime Center on August 18, 2023:
This is late breaking news, but it was just recently confirmed that the polynesian voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa will arrive in Port Townsend on Tuesday, and will be staying through Thursday morning.
Whoa!! (If you don’t know the significance, here’s their website: hokulea.com.)
This is part of a 4 year 43,000 mile voyage around the Pacific to create stronger connections to ocean and planet health. They were invited to visit by the Jamestown S’Klallam, and we agreed to co-host to provide dock space and accomodations.
I wanted you all to know for a couple of reasons:
  • Because it’s super cool and you should know! (and your email was in my auto complete)
  • So you can help spread the word (especially since it’s so last minute)
  • So you can be invited (and so you can invite others) join a very organic welcome flotilla on Tuesday afternoon.
Welcome flotilla details
The Hōkūleʻa will arrive here sometime between noon and 3pm (engineless boats!) and I was told that I will get a 1 hour advance notice from the captain. The *organic* plan is for flotilla boats to meet it at, or as close to Point Wilson as timing and conditions warrant. We’ll then escort it the rest of the way into town. They’ll dock at the Maritime Center and then be there until they leave on Thursday morning. All types of boats welcome: rowing shells, schooners, and everything in between!
So that’s the plan, please forward to whomever you think might be interested!
(In case you’re curious, I did ask the Hōkūleʻa folks if a welcome flotilla would be culturally appropriate and yes. More so they were incredibly honored that anyone would even think to welcome them in from the water.)
 
If you’d like to be on the text notification list for the 1 hour warning, please send an email with your text number of choice to jake@nwmaritime.org and I’ll get it on the list.
Thanks!
Jake