I love outriggers and down here they still know how to sail them without compasses. I met master navigator Mau on his home island of Satawal which only has about 100 inhabitants. They sail the Proa outriggers there that switch directions when they tack. It is perhaps the only place that has topless Catholic churches as well as the women just wear a lava lava skirt and nothing else.

I went there to meet Mau. I was glad I did as he has now passed away. He came to Hawaii and taught the old ways. He navigated Hokulea to Tahiti and arrived with in a predicted 3 hour window of time and it was cloudy for the last 3 days of the voyage!!

It took a week to get to Mau’s little island on a banana boat rig where it was crammed with native people. One of the 5 non native guys onboard lived about 10 miles from my home in Bellingham and even adopted a brother and sister. The sister Star lives here today and has a daughter and is adapted to the northwest. Her father voyages on an outrigger and she is the niece of Mau. Small world.

They were celibrating the ordaining of a new priest on Satawal which was a first. The religion was working pretty well because it was all native run. The younger people were very well behaved. Everyone was so nice to us. They always wanted to feed us. There was no place to buy anything especially food but it didn’t matter. I would like to go back. Anyone up for a trip there? More tales to come