The canoe, along with voyaging canoe Alingano Maisu and escort boat Kama Hele, were sailing this afternoon along the north reef of the island, which they spotted about 1:45 p.m.

Blankenfeld had navigated the canoes to the edge of the range of seabirds that fly out from land each day and return each evening. Among the cues navigators then use are the directions in which the birds are flying in the morning when they presumably are leaving the island, and in the evening, when they return home.

The finding of Johnston confirms for the sailors their precise location a third of the way into their voyage from the Big Island to Majuro Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Johnston is about 900 miles from the Big Island, and the canoes have about 1,500 miles left to go.

Blankenfeld was the lead navigator for this portion of the trip. At sunset today, Hokule'a will drop back, and Alingano Maisu will take the lead, with navigator Chadd Paishon taking over as lead navigator for the voyage.