Aloha! The Iosepa has returned to the sea and has brought a fresh wave of traditional culture to the Hawaiian Islands. Rocketship’s director, Michael Horito, has worked with the Polynesian Cultural Center to restore and launch the traditional Hawaiian vessel originally built in 2001 but kept as a museum piece for decades.
This year the Iosepa is representing Hawaii at the Festival of the Pacific Arts. Afterwards, the Iosepa will circumnavigate the island of Oahu stopping at ports and communities along the way to provide hand-on experiences to local families and groups. At one point, the crew of the Iosepa were celebrated as rescuers when they came upon a capsized fishing vessel that had been competing in a fishing tournament (read more about that story here). Otherwise, the crew has had safe voyages and lot’s of great experiences. Michael says it’s “super fun – but rough weather has also made for a lot of seasickness.”
