History l About Our Canoes l Location

The purpose of our club is to provide a healthy, competitive and supportive environment to practice the ancient sport of outrigger canoe while learning and perpetuating Polynesian cultural values here on the mainland.

He’e Nalu was founded in 1994 by charter members Philip R. Siaris, Stephanie Ashe, Hovey Lambert, Steve Murphy, Mark Murphy, Steve "cuda" Sandavol and Les Scanlan. On a day harboring northeast winds, a motley crew of courageous men paddled a canoe out of Hyde Street Pier in San Francisco. Through numerous perils, around islands, flats, and tanker ships, they were welcomed to their new home in Marin by the wake of the Larkspur ferry. Hence the name He'e Nalu O’ Marin: wave riders of Marin.

In 2006, He’e Nalu expanded its membership with a paddling site in Petaluma, Sonoma County. He’e Nalu is a member of the Northern California Outrigger Canoe Association (NCOCA) and actively participates in all NCOCA events, cultural and competitive, as well as a number of events in Southern California and Hawaii. Our club was privileged to be the Northern California Sprint Champion from 1997 through 2001 and again in 2006. He’e Nalu is also proud host of the Round the Rock Alcatraz Challenge race, coinciding with the Pacific Islanders’ Cultural Association’s (PICA) annual Aloha Festival in San Francisco.

About Our Canoes
There are nine canoes in our He’e Nalu ohana. Our two Malia canoes, “Keiki O’ Ke Kai” and “Na Lei O’ Pio” were the original canoes that founded He’e Nalu. The canoes are owned by Manny Neves, founder of the Polynesian Cultural Society. In 1994, they were entrusted to the care of Steve Murphy, one of the founders of He’e Nalu and made their voyage across the bay to their new home in Larkspur. Because the canoes were built as part of a children’s program, they were named to commemorate the keiki spirit.

Our Bradley canoes, “Warren Kealoha,” “Kala Kukea,” “John O’Brien,” and “John Gieser,” along with the Advantage Clipper, “Rell Kapolioka’ehukai Sunn,” were named in memory of individuals that were inspirational to the club and personified the true spirit of He’e Nalu.

The two Mirages, “Hoku’ula” and “Hoku’loa” are named after the red star, Mars and the morning star, Venus. The two stars were important navigational tools for the early voyaging Polynesians and also represent the spiritual power (mana) of the male and female.

Our canoes are a life force of He’e Nalu that we honor, respect and treasure.

Canoe specifications: Overall length: 45'
Loaded waterline length: 37' 8"
Standard weight HRCA specs: 385 - 400 lbs - Type OC-6 (6 People/Boat)

Directions to our Paddling Sites:
Larkspur main site is located at: 14 East Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Box 13 (link to Google map)

Park in the Wood Island parking lot, just beyond the kayak rental/supplies and bamboo flooring store. The canoe site is right on the water facing the Greenbrae boardwalk between Hwy 101 and the Larkspur Ferry terminal.

Petaluma site is located between 619 and 699 Second Street (link to Google map)

Enter through the gate for the North Bay Rowing Club at the far right corner of the parking lot. The canoe site is on the other side of the rowing club, in the Van Bebber yard.