Teacher Aboard

Our harbor pilot, Capt. David Lymons added a ceremony of his own to ensure our safe passage. He gave ti leaves (a tropical plant like a palm) to crew members and folks on the dock. As he instructed, we tore the ti leaves into strips along the stem giving the leaf our thoughts and blessing for the ship. Capt. Lymons then tied the leaves together so they could be secured to the bow and the stern during the journey. Leis (necklaces of flowers) were presented to the crew giving yet another touch of colorful aloha spirit to the occasion. Dropping our lines, Pride II eased away from the dock.

Spectator boats pulled along side as Pride II moved out into the harbor. Proudly, yet reluctantly, we fired two cannons to announce our farewell to this fine city. In response, our spectator fleet sounded their horns and waved in farewell.

Once out of the wind shadow of the towering buildings of Honolulu, Pride II could begin to fill her sails with the long awaited breeze. Gradually finding the wind she knows so well, she took her head and gracefully eased into the open waters of the Pacific Ocean. The late day sun was just beginning to display the vivid colors of the end of another day. The warm glow illuminated her sails as they now embraced the full strength of the moderate winds.

The bright sun gleaming in the western sky seem to beckon Pride II to turn her attention to destinations waiting over the horizon. One by one boats in the spectator fleet bid a final farewell and dropped back to blend into the shrinking landscape. The noise, the crowds, the boats disappeared leaving only the quiet of the wind in the sails and the water on the hull.

HAWAII MARITIME MUSEUM - Pier 7, Honolulu

Finally there is time to reflect on the busy life of my last month on shore. One of my first thoughts is of our most gracious hosts, the Hawaii Maritime Museum, where Pride II docked during our visit to Honolulu. Sometimes in life you find those little gems and you ask yourself, "Does anybody else know about this place?" On one of my travels through the Museum, I heard a teacher of a school group say, "Wow, I had no idea there was so much neat stuff here!" So as not to keep you in suspense any longer, let me give you a glimpse of this special place. As a Museum, it captures some of the very best parts of Hawaii.

The exhibits on Captain Cook and the history of Honolulu harbor give you a sense of appreciation of Hawaii's unique ocean heritage as a hub of the Pacific. As a reminder of the islands' role in the world of whaling, a huge Humpback whale skeleton hangs from the ceiling. And for you sports fans, there are fascinating displays on the evolution of surfing and wind surfing. I had no idea that surfing was a favorite sport of ancient Hawaiian royalty who proudly displayed their championship rides in petroglyphs (drawings) on rock walls. As the activities of the first Hawaiians are depicted, you begin to wonder how they ever located these isolated (distant) islands. The Museum's displays of the early Polynesian voyaging canoes and our recent efforts to retrace their early voyages in replica canoes, called Hokule'a, help you understand this incredible story of "wayfinding."

You finish your tour by exploring the Falls Of Clyde, the last four-masted, square-rigged ship in the world. For many years she transported sugar to the West Coast and brought back much needed supplies to Hawaii. Students can experience this 19th century way of seafaring life as part of an overnight program which provides an 18 hour imaginary voyage. Participants act out an elaborate role play complete with captain and crew. Without doubt, this is a museum that both adults and kids would love to explore! (For information call 808/521-1958.)

POLYNESIAN VOYAGING CANOES - "Wayfinding" navigation

The Hawaiian islands are some of the most isolated places in the world, yet they were populated by Polynesians from southeast Asia 1,000 years before Captain Cook (who used to be credited by Europeans with "discovering" them) was even born. Without the aid of modern navigation, these ancient voyagers journeyed into the uncharted waters of the ocean to eventually find Hawaii. Stars, of course, make the greatest contribution to "wayfinding navigation" which enabled the ancient Polynesians to travel thousands of miles across the ocean.

Over time these voyagers assembled a considerable knowledge of astronomy. To journey between Hawaii and Tahiti, they positioned their ship on a course aligned with Polaris, the north star, and the Southern Cross in the southern hemisphere. Other stars change with the seasons as the Earth revolves around the Sun. Nevertheless, the Polynesians recognized certain stars and were aware of their positions at sunrise and sunset at various latitudes. They also gauged their position by a zenith star (highest star) over the desired location, such as Sirius over Hawaii.

With the exception of stars, it may seem that the open ocean offers little information to orient (locate) yourself. The ancient Polynesians, however, learned to interpret the directional patterns of ocean swells, the comings and goings of land birds on their daily feeding journeys, the reflection of green lagoons (shallow water) near islands on low lying clouds, and the higher cumulus clouds which form due to warm air rising over land. By methods such as these, people from Southeast Asia eventually settled on islands in the South Pacific. We think the islands were probably populated in the following order:

Tonga and nearby Samoa - approx. 1,500 BCE* Marquesas Islands - approx. 1st century CE Easter Island - approx. 500 CE Hawaiian Islands - approx. 500 to 750 CE New Zealand - approx. after 750 CE [*BCE and CE are terms used by archeologists. BCE means "Before the Common Era" and CE means "Common Era." Archeologists date the Common Era as beginning in the Year 1 AD]

To recreate these incredible accomplishments, an accurate replica of the ancient Polynesian double hull voyaging canoe was built in 1976. The canoe, called a Hokule'a, completed the first historic voyage to Tahiti guided solely by the stars, wind, swells, and birds. This voyage proved that it was indeed possible for Hawaiian ancestors to cross thousands of miles without instruments. For more information, you can investigate their web site, Polynesian Voyaging Society.

PAYING ATTENTION

An old saying goes, "The worst that can be said of a man is that he did not pay attention."

One night when I was on the helm on our way to Hawaii, the compass light went out. John, our faithful "fix-it" guy, began diligently taking it apart leaving me with no compass or wind indicator by which to steer. Staring into the darkness on a moonless night, I fell back temporarily on the ancient way of doing things. I pointed the bow toward a known bright star on the horizon. I noted the wind direction on my face and I listened carefully for telltale signs of changes in the sails. Feeling the pull of the ship against the helm and the motion of Pride II as she plowed up and over the waves, it was possible for a period of time to maintain a course. All the information had always been there. It was simply a matter of paying attention. So let me ask you: What phase is the moon in now? Is it waning (getting smaller) or waxing (getting bigger)? What time does the sun rise in the morning and set in the evening?

Here's a few more items for this pop quiz. What birds arrive first in their spring migration? Which flowers will be the first to bloom?

Maybe your class could start a Spring survey. Think of the changes which occur in your region in the spring and keep a record of the events. When we fail to pay attention, we tend to forget our connection with the earth. Just once, turn off the television and CD player. Go outside and sit by at tree or on a dock by the water. Listen, look, smell and feel your special place. Look for creatures large and small. Make a list. You'll be amazed to learn that nature's show is going on around you every day.

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes" Marcel Proust

Speaking of discoveries, there's so much more to share with you about Hawaii. My day at the Bishop Museum was a fascinating walk through the natural history of this beautiful state. The animals and plants have a special significance because they have journeyed thousands of miles to settle here after the volcanic islands formed. Next time we will explore who and what lives here.

In the spirit of Charles Darwin
Your faithful reporter,
Leslie Bridgett

YOUR THOUGHTS

1. How did the farewell to Pride II in Honolulu differ from the Bon Voyage celebration when the ship left Baltimore on Dec 6, 1997?
2. How do we know that ancient Hawaiians enjoyed surfing?
3. How did ancient Polynesians navigate to Pacific islands without charts or a compass?
4. Whales are social (they "talk" to each other) mammals who produce very few young and, therefore, have declined greatly in number. You can "Adopt A Whale" through the International Wildlife Coalition's Whale Adoption Program. Learn more about it by visiting the IWC web site. Or write to: IWC, 70 E. Falmouth Highway, East Falmouth, MA 02536, Tel: 508-548-8328.
5. The ancient Polynesians navigated by paying attention to the details of their surroundings. Stop for a moment to listen, look, feel, and smell your surroundings. Choose one of these indicators and list the changes you sense for a passing day, a passing year, or an approaching storm.
6. "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." Marcel Proust. Think of a place that you returned to after a period of time, such as an old neighborhood, a former school, or the house of friend you haven't been to in a while. Tell what you noticed that was different and how you felt about these differences.

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