The crew of the 62-foot Hawaiian voyaging canoe Hokule'a returned home again Monday after sailing more than 14,000 miles to Easter Island and back, guided only by the stars and ocean currents. Mau Piailug, a traditional navigator from the Caroline Islands of Micronesia, navigated the craft using the angle of stars and swell direction similar to now-extinct Polynesian methods. Even when days of solid cloud cover hid the stars, sun, and moon from sight, Piailug was able to keep the canoe on course and keep an accurate picture of the canoe's progress in his mind. Hokule'a left Hawaii June 15 and arrived at Easter Island, which the 15-member crew calls Rapa Nui, on October 8. The wood-and-fiberglass boat, which is a replica of canoes used by ancient Polynesians to settle the Pacific about 2,000 years ago, arrived on the island of Molokai February 28. Hokule`a was completed in 1975. A huge celebration is planned on Oahu on March 12 to mark the 25th anniversary of Hokule'a's launching.

The canoe is constructed of two 62-foot hulls and eight `iako, or crossbeams that join the two hulls. The 8-ton Hokule`a can be loaded with about 11,000 pounds, or 5.5 tons, including the weight of a crew of 12-16 people, equipment, and supplies. The craft can make up to 10-12 knots sailing on a reach in strong winds.

The crew was elated to safely complete the14,000-mile trip to Rapa Nui. The Hokule'a has been a potent symbol for Hawaiians since the mid-1970s, when its crews proved that ancient Hawaiians could use the stars to navigate the Pacific. Its earlier journeys to Tahiti, New Zealand, and the Marquesas Islands revived pride in Hawaiian culture.