Members of the Hawaiian Sailing Canoe Association race from the Big Island to Maui in this image captured off the coast of Maui. The association works to educate the public about Native Hawaiian traditions. Photo courtesy Gloria Reed

From Kohala to Kahului, crossing the Alanuihāhā channel, the 36th Hawaiian Sailing Canoe Association has commenced their expedition through the chain of Hawaiian islands.

The event was started in 1987 by Michael Kincaid of Oahu.

“They started with an annual race from Oahu to Kauai called the Na Holokai,” recalled Ray Glauser, a member of the association’s board of directors, their treasurer and a crew participant since 1997. “The association since then has been doing a yearly racing-sailing schedule, which tries to link as many islands as possible.”

Setting sail on May 15 on the Big Island, each hui began their navigation through the intense terrains of the Hawaiian channels hitting Maui, Molokai and Oahu before anchoring their journey in Kauai on Sept. 15.

“Recently leaving Hawaii Island has proved to be quite challenging,” Glauser said. “The launch ramp that we use has been filled in with boulders and the Alinuihaha channel seems to be getting rougher and rougher, with the winds more intense. This year we will be visiting Molokai again, which we haven’t been able to do for the last few years.”

The Hawaiian Sailing Canoe Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public and introducing them to the traditions of canoe racing and Native Hawaiian traditions. Each year, this event and its people commit a special day to offering free canoe rides to the public, despite operating with limited funds.

To further give back, crews volunteer with community service work. For example, this year one of which is on Kahoʻolawe, while last year, they provided a meal for the voyaging canoe crews at Pacific Fest on Oahu.

Each year the race schedule varies slightly, with the goal remaining to connect as many Hawaiian islands as possible, share knowledge about Hawaiian traditions, and give back in meaningful volunteer efforts along the way.

“Our mission statement is to learn, revive, educate and practice those ancient Hawaiian skills and values as they relate to sailing canoes and Hawaiian culture,” Glauser said.

A memorable story from this year came from paddler May Jonota, who recalled the time she observed and spoke with crews at her workplace.

From that moment, she knew she wanted to join a crew herself. Today, she is a member, feeling both humbled and thrilled that her dream came true thanks to the staff who organize these events annually.

Her crew’s support and her own determination to overcome challenges have propelled her toward her goals.

In commitment to their word, the Hawaiian Sailing Canoe Association works to represent the values they uphold with pride and humility. Their spirit of perseverance shines through as they consistently exceed expectations while delivering events and races year after year.

For years to come, the Hawaiian Sailing Canoe Association hopes to continue achieving success and to continue educating, inspiring and strengthening communities through their efforts and races.