Three BYUH students say sailing with Iosepa has strengthened their faith, skills and bonds with others
Sailing brings together all kinds of people, making them one family who supports each other both on land and out on the water, said Iosepa crew member Elijah Ebert.
Ebert, a junior from Virginia majoring in political science, said, “ I really love the culture here in Hawaii, where families are a priority.” Whenever Iosepa is anchored, he said, “the communities in the area would come out and share their food and aloha with the crew.”
On the canoe, Ebert said, people look out for each other’s welfare, treating each other like family because safety was their top priority. He said they also share excitement and blessings. “When we saw a shark, dolphin, or something else exciting, I noticed our immediate reaction was to tell everybody so they could be excited too,” said Ebert.
Iosepa out on the water
Ebert said steering the Iosepa was one of his interesting experiences while sailing. He explained a common canoe steering method involves three people on each sweep. “When we needed to turn to starboard [to the right], we pushed the very large and heavy sweep handles to the port [left] and vice versa," Ebert said. He recounted an experience where he led those steering as they rounded Ka’ena Point and encountered much more intense waves and wind. "I called out, ‘Slight port,’ 'Slight starboard,' and other commands to communicate clearly… to keep Iosepa going straight," he said.
The crew members needed to follow directly behind the boat towing them, Ebert said. He found it challenging but fun to predict the movements of the vessel and the incoming waves. “It’s amazing what I was able to learn in such a short time, and it reminded me those who did it all the time in centuries past must have been incredibly skilled," he added.
Another crew member Hepua Evans, a senior from Mililani studying TESOL education and English, said learning how ancient Hawaiians navigated using the stars deepened her appreciation for her Hawaiian culture and brought her relationship with her ancestors closer. Evans said, “This was a very interesting experience for me because I have never heard about this before," she said. Ancient Hawaiians used consolations and star patterns to figure out where they had been and where they were going, she said. Before Western contact, ancient Hawaiians already knew there was a Sun in the center of the solar system, and that the Earth revolved around it, she said. “This is deep in my appreciation for my ancestors because they knew how to use resources and natural tools to figure out the environment without modern tools, “ said Evans.
Trusting in the Lord
Ebert said the Lord knew sailing with Iosepa was something he was pursuing. He learned to teach about Iosepa as a Polynesian Cultural Center tour guide in 2021, took the malama wa’a Hawaiian studies class in 2022, did a sailing internship in 2023 and spent a year helping restore Iosepa and get the canoe seaworthy, said Ebert. “I now have a strong testimony the Lord does love efforts, and He is on our side to help us achieve our goals,” he added.
Julian Obando, a junior studying communications and intercultural peacebuilding from the Philippines, said one of the missions of Iosepa was to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. “I really love what our Watch Captain Mark Lee said about how Iosepa will bring light to Hawaii and the world,“ he said. Every time Iosepa is on anchor, Obando said, “We hold a devotional at a nearby congregation where my fellow crew members and I got to share our experiences and testimonies on becoming voyagers of faith. Like Lee said, Iosepa brought light to the world by reminding the people of its mission and the love of God, Obando added.
When Iosepa was being transported to Haleiwa for its launch, Obando said he had a conversation with one of the crew members, Uncle Lono Logan. We discussed how Iosepa had last been on the water eight years ago, but it never sailed due to logistical issues, he added. Uncle Lono Logan talked about how Iosepa is like people today, because they also face setbacks and challenges in life, said Obando. Iosepa is housed at the Polynesian Cultural Center and underwent repairs and refinements there. Likewise, in life, Obando said, "We are striving our best to live the gospel of Jesus Christ, underground our own refinement to be a better disciple of Jesus Christ, so we can be a light and a blessing to others."
Overcoming challenges
In recounting his experience, Ebert highlighted sea sickness as the primary challenge he faced while sailing. "There's only so much looking down, tying knots, being below deck, and writing that any person can do on a ship without getting sick," he explained. He emphasized the varying levels of stamina among crew members when dealing with seasickness, influenced by factors such as medication. Ebert underscored their approach to overcoming this challenge through mutual understanding and support within the crew. "Sometimes one of us is fine while another is sick, and vice versa," he shared.
Abondo said preparing his physical and mental condition before sailing was challenging for him. As someone who had never sailed before, he said, “I felt overwhelmed by the fear of forgetting the lessons from the training.” However, he said he "was blessed to be among the great leaders on Iosepa because I got to learn from them." To avoid seasickness, he said he learned to be calm because it helped him go with the flow, like Iosepa, when facing rough waves.
Evans said learning the knots was very difficult for her. She explained she had never grown up learning any of that stuff, but she emphasized knowing more about the knots was important for sailing. She said she overcame this obstacle by relying on her other crew members. She said they were there to help her and demonstrate how to tie knots properly. Over time, Evans said she was able to do it herself. She attributed her success to the help of others who were willing to learn and grow with her. “Sailing is not just about your knots and the direction you’re going, but it’s also about having each other’s backs and supporting each of your crew members,” she said.
Reflecting on her six-hour sail, Evans said sailing is a very challenging experience both mentally and physically. She humorously recalled, "There were definitely times where I had a prayer in my heart that I wouldn’t throw up." Evans drew parallels between her voyage and those of ancient Hawaiians, who had limited resources while stuck in the middle of the ocean. There were times when there was no wind, leaving people stuck and unable to go anywhere, she said. This experience taught her faith and patience, which she likened to growing her testimony in Jesus Christ. Evans concluded that, similar to sailing, developing faith and patience is not something that happens overnight, but it requires time and effort.