Kaohsiung: A traditional voyaging canoe from Palau arrived at Kaohsiung Port on Saturday, greeted by a ceremony hosted by Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) to honor the crew undertaking an ambitious Pacific journey using traditional navigation techniques.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Alingano Maisu embarked on its voyage from Palau on February 15, marking what the council describes as the largest journey of its kind. The four-month expedition covers approximately 6,200 nautical miles across the western Pacific Ocean. The canoe is captained by master navigator Sesario Sewralur, who leads a 13-member crew from Palau, Taiwan, the United States, and the Federated States of Micronesia.
During the welcoming ceremony, Sewralur expressed gratitude for Taiwan's hospitality, emphasizing the unifying spirit of the voyage. He remarked, "A canoe crossing the ocean brings people together as one family. One ocean, one family."
Taiwan is the first stop for the Alingano Maisu, which will subsequently continue to Okinawa, Guam, Saipan, and Satawal and Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia before returning to Palau. The OAC highlighted that the crew navigates without modern instruments, relying instead on traditional methods such as reading winds, ocean currents, observing stars and celestial patterns, and interpreting signs from marine life.
OAC Deputy Minister Wu Hsin-hsiu noted at the ceremony that the voyage showcases the profound and precise Austronesian seafaring knowledge that has been passed down through generations. During their stay in Kaohsiung, the crew will engage in cultural exchanges and maritime education activities with Indigenous groups, sailing communities, and academic institutions, as stated by the council.
Earlier on Saturday, the canoe was escorted toward Kaohsiung from waters near Dapeng Bay by sailboats from Taiwanese universities and sailing groups.