Go deep into the ocean without getting wet at this Hawaiian film festival

The Hokulea sailing canoe, shown here off Honolulu in 2014. It's featured in the film "Hokulea -- Proud Voyage Home."

By Jay Jones

Dec. 22, 2015 8 AM PT

Prepare to experience oceans as you’ve never experienced them before when a sea-themed film festival returns to the island of Hawaii.

The Waimea Ocean Film Festival, which is set from Jan. 1 to 8, strives to immerse guests in an environment that promotes greater awareness of our oceans. In addition to screenings, the festival will offer exhibits, guest speakers and intimate question-and-answer sessions.

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FOR THE RECORD

5:30 p.m. Dec. 24: An earlier version of this article mistakenly said the films “Lihua’s Journey,” “Mission Blue” and “One Ocean: No Limits” would be screened at the 2016 Waimea Ocean Film Festival. Those were 2015 festival selections.

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Among the featured films at the 2016 event are:

“Hokulea – Proud Voyage Home”: The film recaps a two-year, 16,000-mile journey by modern day voyagers using a double-hulled canoe similar to those used by ancient Polynesian explorers. The perilous sailing was undertaken without the use of modern navigational tools such as GPS.

Climbing stars Jimmy Chin, left, Conrad Anker and Renan Ozturk appear in the documentary film "Meru."

“Meru”: Near the headwaters of India’s sacred Ganges River, a peak on Mount Meru routinely thwarts attempts by some of the world’s best rock climbers to scale it. The documentary follows the efforts of three amazing climbers -- Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin and Renan Ozturk -- who face seemingly insurmountable amounts of snow and ice during their ascent.

“Ocean Driven”: Following the surfing odyssey of Chris Bertish, the film takes viewers on an around-the-world odyssey as the famed waterman tackles waves in Fiji, Hawaii, Mexico and South Africa.

The festival will be staged at three resorts. Various activities will be held Jan. 1 to 4 at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and the Fairmont Orchid. The festival moves to the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai from Jan. 5 to 8.

Schedules - broken down by dates and venues - can be found online

Passes vary by price, based on the dates, the venue and the number of films a guest wants to see.

Info: Waimea Ocean Film Festival, (808) 854-6095

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