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11th Hour Grant to Polynesian Voyagers

11th Hour Racing enters its 11th year of philanthropic work. The organization has announced five new grants, funded by The Schmidt Family Foundation, to support environmental projects in Connecticut, Maryland, Hawai’i and Rhode Island. 11th Hour Racing’s grants focus on pilot programs that model sustainability best practices, advance ocean stewardship, and create systemic change to restore ocean health.

The first-time grantees — Baltimore Compost Collective, Gather New Haven, Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, Movement Education Outdoors and Polynesian Voyaging Society — provide experiential education, lead composting initiatives, and offer youth development opportunities.

Polynesian Voyaging Society

The Polynesian Voyaging Society will engage student navigators in storm training and the ancient science of non-instrument, wayfinding navigation while sailing through the ʻAlenuihāhā Channel between the islands of Maui and Hawai’i in preparation for crossing the Pacific Ocean from Alaska to Hawaii later this year. The project will galvanize action on climate change and inspire ocean protection. The organization is based in Honolulu.

Aerial view of Polynesian voyaging canoe
Hōkūle’a, a double-hulled sailing canoe.
© 2022 Nāʻālehu Anthony / 'Oiwi TV

In 1975, the Polynesian Voyaging Society launched Hōkūle’a, a replica of a traditional Polynesian deep sea vessel. They built her to debunk the common theory that the Hawaiian archipelago was discovered by chance and to prove that Polynesians traversed the vast Pacific purposefully, using elements of nature such as the sun, clouds, currents, and bird migrations to set waypoints in ocean navigation.

man at big tiller
Manning the tiller on the 62-ft long, 20-ft wide vessel.
© 2022 Polynesian Voyaging Society

The goal is to preserve ancient Indigenous wisdom of navigation relying only on nature and native ingenuity to explore the open ocean. While visiting remote lands throughout the Pacific route, the project calls attention to climate change, inspiring action for ocean protection.

Deck
A bird’s-eye (selfie) view of Hōkūle’a’s deck.
© 2022 Polynesian Voyaging Society

We’ve covered Hōkūle’a and the Polynesian Voyaging Society in previous posts. Hōkūle’a’s sistership, Hikianalia, visited San Francisco and Half Moon bays in 2018.

11th Hour Racing

“At 11th Hour Racing, we believe that building a community committed to ocean stewardship and environmental sustainability starts with meaningful experiences for young people, particularly for communities that historically have had less access to the ocean,” said Michelle Carnevale, vice president of programming at 11th Hour Racing. “Experiencing oceans, rivers and lakes firsthand and seeing all of the natural wonders our planet offers can be inspirational and lead to community-wide participation in sustainable initiatives. We are proud to support organizations that provide these experiences for young people along with pathways to future career opportunities.”

11th Hour Racing is accepting new grant applications through January 31, 2022. The organization awards grants globally and welcomes international organizations to apply. Learn more at www.11thhourracing.org.

Our readers may recognize the name of the team that has competed in world-class events, led by American skipper Charlie Enright. Bill Erkelens of Point Richmond is the chief operating officer. The 11th Hour Racing Team will sail in the Ocean Race, the circumnavigation formerly called the Volvo Ocean Race, and before that the Whitbread Race. Leg 1 will start on January 15, 2023, in Alicante, Spain. The course will round the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Horn. The several stops will include Newport, RI.

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