The following is a news report of the Vaka from the Cook Islands which is voyaging home with my friends. They have been beating to windward in 35 foot seas. The massive oar (35 ft long) which is used to steer the vaka has been snapped in two by the force of the waves. We hear some radio reports, but, what follows is one of the few written reports of the journey.
The above picture shows some of the crew members in blue shirts with white flowers. Malcolm Laxton-Blinkhorn is the second from the left. He was born in England, but, he owns a motel in Rorotonga and was the cook on board.
PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT
Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West CenterWith Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies/University of Hawai‘i
COOKS VOYAGING CANOE READIES FOR RETURN VOYAGE
Vaka Te Au O Tonga to leave Pago Pago
RAROTONGA, Cook Islands (Cook Islands News, August 8,2008) – Vaka Te Au O Tonga is set sail from Pago Pago in American Samoa on Friday afternoon. Because of wind direction they expect the homeward journey to take up to two weeks. Two new crew members have joined the vaka on her return voyage as watch captain Te Aturangi Nepia-Clamp had to fly to New Zealand for his Masters of Art studies while chief cook Malcolm Blinkhorn will be returning home by plane. Nepia-Clamp has been replaced by the president of the American Samoa Voyaging Society. Blinkhorn has been replaced by Clinton Charlie.
Vaka captain Garth Henderson has placed new ‘learning watch captains’ in charge for the voyage home. The new learning watch captains have been attached to a mentor and are Masterton Enjoy mentored by Tua Pitman, Harry Goodwin mentored by Ti Pekepo and Nick Henry under the watchful eye of Teheu Kamana.
Crew member Nick Henry reported that before they departed, "Minister of Culture Wilkie Rasmussen did an incredible karakia from the heart. It was a Northern island style from Tongareva, everybody was shaking, it was a very emotional moment."
After two and a half hours of sailing at speeds of 4.5 knots, the vaka was 12 miles from the Pago Pago coast on a 150-160 degree course.
Cook Islands News: http://www.cinews.co.ck/index.htm
Copyright © 2005 Cook Islands News. All Rights Reserved
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2 comments:
I really like your revised profile on your blog. "Adventurer" is great. You're used to intellectual adventures, but this challenges you in new ways, it sounds like.
Keep it up.
ann
That sounds pretty interesting. Keep the updates coming. Good to hear from you.
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