Re: Polynesian canoes (Re: Rat genes solve mystery of great Pacific odyssey

From: benlizross (benlizro_at_ihug.co.nz)
Date: 07/24/04 

Date: Sat, 24 Jul 2004 22:43:47 +1200

Inger E Johansson wrote:
>
> 200 km is crossing a part of the Ocean, Ross.

Paddling out to a raft is crossing a part of the Ocean, Inger. Try to
keep a sense of proportion. We are comparing 200 km _maximum_ to several
thousand km.

> I don't know how many times you been more than 100 km out in the Ocean? You
> can't seen land no where.

It depends on how high the land is. When the Nootka whalers (see posts
in discussion with Steve Whittet 97 years ago) could just see the tops
of the mountains of Vancouver Island, they were something like 100km
out. From Singapore to San Cristobal (Solomon Is) there is a continuous
chain of islands such that you can see one from the next.

It's rarely under 7 m/s but can easily come up to
> 20 m/s or more. You need same type of boat as to cross 200 km over open sea
> as you need to go 100 km out from land in open sea.

You can cross the Atlantic in a bath-tub if you want to badly enough. My
point was that something more than a sturdy vessel seems to have been
required.

That was done 9000 BP.
> source: G$Bör(Jan Burenhult, De f$Bör(Jsta Gotl$BgO(Jningarna page 9. Shown in
> artifacts.

It was done 50000 BP. Source: Presence of humans in Australia/New Guinea
at that date. Conspicuously, they did _not_ cross the Pacific, discover
Hawaii, etc. at that date.

Ross Clark