Aloha Mai, Keili here!
Just a quick intro- like I said in the last post, friends were up to some cool stuff on AA the other week. I invited my friend, Nate to guest write on this substack and share his experience on board his writing is beautiful to say the least, please enjoy :)
Returning to the Sea —
Field notes from Filming on ‘A’Ā
Enbe
Every time I step off land and into the sea, I feel like I’m returning to something much more important and timeless. It’s a deeper kind of knowing—a stillness—that can be hard to reach on land, especially in the chaos of the city and the noise of daily life.
Going into this shoot with ‘A’Ā, Chris, and Keili, I knew I wanted to focus on the process rather than the outcome. I wanted to absorb the care, learning, and love that had gone into this boat—almost like learning a new language. I came with the intention to listen and learn, from them, from the sea, and from the vessel itself.
The shoot itself was only three days, but the process began much earlier—when cinematographer Karl Cannone (coming from Paris) and I arrived at the home of Keili and Hana. We spent a week before shooting preparing our gear and immersing ourselves in Hawaiian culture. We wanted to learn and be respectful of the land we were on.
Learning Hawaiian chants—ʻoli—offered us a glimpse into a lineage of deep respect and connection to land, sea, and ancestors. It was transformative. We took our time with this film, and alongside Chris, Keili, Hana, and Uncle Analu, we were able to tell a story of voyaging and humanity—one that I feel incredibly honored to have been a part of.
One of the most rewarding days was spent prepping ‘A’Ā and then sailing out into sunset winds and rain.
Watching Chris and Keili care for the boat—washing her, fixing handles—was like watching someone tend a garden. I saw the photos and prayers on the cabin walls, tributes to Keili’s mother Illa, and felt how much this boat wasn’t just for them. It was a living symbol of lineage, of those who brought them here, and of the beauty of sharing one’s journey with others.
Before boarding ‘A’Ā, we learned a short ʻoli (which I’ll include below). As we chanted, Chris bowed, and we did our best not to butcher such a beautiful offering. He brought us on AA and taught us so much—about ropes, constellations, reefs to avoid. It was special watching him and Keili in their element, then choosing to share that with us.
Filming was a nice challenge. The windows for light were short, and keeping the camera stable on a moving boat meant all hands were involved. Hana grabbed lenses, I secured Karl to make sure he didn’t fall while filming, Keili guided the boat, and Chris acted in the frame. It was like sailing—we moved as one, with a common goal.
That’s why I love filmmaking: it forces you to let go of control, to trust others, and to allow something imagined to come to life through collaboration. I imagined how hard it must have been to voyage from California to Hawai’i—nights without sleep, trusting the sea, your team, and yourself to lead you to the right place.
One night, we stayed up talking story. As Keili ducked into the bottom cabin to sleep and escape the rain, she told me about riding massive swells in the dark and praying everything would be okay. I could feel the deep respect she has for the sea—and also the courage to experience life fully, even in the face of fear. I thought to myself about how important that is - to do it even when fear is the loudest thing you can hear.
We spent the night under the stars, rocking to sleep with bursts of wind and rain occasionally speckling our faces. I felt so deeply aware of how lucky we were to be experiencing this together. Everyone else eventually fell asleep, but I could hardly close my eyes—I didn’t want to miss a single thing, not even a star. It was all so beautiful.
The next day, we anchored near the sandbar and watched as a small honu swam beneath the boat. The blues of the warm water grew deeper and richer as the afternoon light began to rise.
We wrapped the shoot the following day with Uncle Analu, whose energy brought so much light and laughter. Watching Karl, our Parisian cinematographer, try to pick up Hawaiian slang was so great—but somehow, we were all in sync, laughing and making something beautiful together.
I’m forever grateful for the people I got to learn from and the wisdom they carry. ‘A’Ā isn’t just a boat—it’s a spirit, a teacher, a bridge. She weaves her way into new lives and inspires new ways of being.
I’ll carry the lessons from this journey with me, always. I hope to return soon. Until then, enjoy some photos from our adventure.
Mahalo ‘A’Ā, Chris, Keili, and Hana!
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