2 immense Easter Island achievements

 

 

Odd how you accept voyages of 3-4,000 mi. in the Pacific in open canoes, but not the Atlantic.  Particularly if the South Atlantic circulation was followed the longest leg in open water would have only been approx 1,100 mi.

 

 

 

 

 

Following the birds... I am not kidding.

 

And also, seeing the presence of islans far away by "reading" the waves patterns and clowds configurations. It is quite complex the empirical methods polynesian had to determine the presence of far away land. But, I tell you, they weren't just travelling blind in that huge ocean that is the Pacific.

Wether they did or not is different issue but there is little reason to think they could nt.

 

Some 3500 km to the americas would be rather a piece of cake compared to the discovery of easter island and some other places. The really hard thing in long open sea sailing is not to keep sailing but to  hit your target. If the target aint known its a matter of surviving untill you reach something.  In case of the Americas, a gigantic target ( 30.000  km from north to south ) that cannot be missed is awaiting after 3500 km sailing east, while in case of easter island they sailed ( at least ) 1500 km  to hit a tiny spot.

 

 

 

Good suggestion.

 

In case of the  deep sea route , which seems the most likely one, the route was Malay archipelago> Nicobars > India > Maledives > Seychelles > Madagscar but in theory Diego Garcia ( below the Maledives) could have been touched on the way. From there the longest open sea leg would be slightly less than 1500 km. Of course, its not said that they used all possible stops- they might as well have skipped some- but i m just pointing out the  possibilities.  

 

In case of Easter Island, the funny thing is that I cannot even find a possibility to  get there without crossing at least 1500 km of open sea.