From: Fearghas McKay <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: 9 September 2004 11:10:06 AM PDT Subject: KON-TIKI TO SAIL AGAIN
for the Eristocracy ?
KON-TIKI TO SAIL AGAIN
Oslo, Norway: Nearly 60 years after Thor Heyerdahl sailed across the
Pacific Ocean in an epic journey aboard the balsa raft Kon-Tiki, a team
that includes his grandson said they hope to repeat the feat next year --
with a 21th-Century twist.
The new team, backed by Norway's Environment Ministry and endorsed by the
Kon-Tiki museum, said Monday that they hope to follow the route of the
epic voyage aboard a balsa raft named for Tangaroa, the Polynesian god of
the ocean.
Although the Tangaroa will be primitive, expedition member Inge Meloey said it will showcase modern technology. The cabin roof will have solar panels affixed to it to generate electricity, he said, and the raft will have satellite navigation and communications, and transmit Internet updates throughout the voyage, set to start April 28, 2005.
The team wants to honor Heyerdahl and to draw attention to environmental
threats on land and at sea. They plan to take scientific samples along the
way, test new theories on ancient navigational techniques and make a
contribution to Norway's celebration of the 100th anniversary of
independence from Sweden in 1905.
The original Kon-Tiki was largely subject to the whim of wind and currents
because it was not possible to sail it against the wind. At the end of its
journey, the raft crashed onto a reef because the crew couldn't change
course.
The modern team has found techniques for steering the boat they hope will
make it possible for them to steer it exactly where they want to go:
Tahiti.
The team includes Swedish photographer-filmmaker Anders Berg, 41, and Norwegian biologist Dag Oppen-Berntsen, 44.
A sixth member is being sought, but the qualifications are likely to rule
out most applicants: "A Norwegian to handle navigation and sails. A real
Old Salt."
Excerpts from a feature on CNN, full article at: http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/science/09/07/norway.kontik.ap/index.html
