Hawaiki Nui Va’a 2015

I’m not going to pretend to know a lot about canoe races. I used to canoe on the Connecticut River with the girl scouts, I don’t think that counts in the racing category. Mike and I had never seen an outrigger canoe until our honeymoon. That’s when we got in and headed to the closest motu. In lesser marriages this may have led to divorce but we managed to turn around well before the motu and ask for a ride in the motor boat.

This past month we were fortunate to be visiting Huahine on the first weekend of November where the first leg of the Hawaiki Nui Va’a 2015 outrigger canoe race begins it’s first leg. This race is deeply rooted in Polynesian culture and was the 24th consecutive year, pulling teams from all over the South Pacific. It’s a 3 day race; Huahine to Raiatea-44.5 Kilometers, Raiatea to Tahaa – 26 K and Tahaa to Bora Bora 58.2 K. Most of the teams paddle a Matahina Va’a which is an all purpose outrigger for ocean crossings. Ocean crossing is the key word, this in not an easy race. We saw them “dash to the pass” at 60 strokes per minute then crash thru the waves in the cut. It was very exciting.