Polynesian voyaging canoe Hokule'a completed its first major voyage, sailing from Hawai'i to Tahiti in 33 days. The canoe left from Honolua Bay on Maui and arrived at its destination on May Day, greeted by 20,000 Tahitians. As no Hawaiians still practiced open ocean navigation, Hokule'a was guided by Mau Piailug, a Micronesian navigator from Satawal island in the Central Caroline Islands. Although he was a very experienced navigator, he had never before sailed in the Southern Hemisphere. Nainoa Thompson crewed on the return voyage from Tahiti then apprenticed himself to Mau. Thompson successfully navigated a second voyage to Tahiti - a 6,000 mile round trip - with Mau on board in 1980.