Please watch the remainder of the Documentary of Thor Heyerdahl- Here are some interesting times in the video:
21:00mins- Whale encounter
30:00 mins- Halfway point-using a sextant
31:28- shark encounter
34:00 Parrot, Watsinger almost left behind!
38:20- Whale shark
42:00 natives make contact
45:00reef and raft
Please watch the rest and respond with your comments:
Do you think you could make this journey?
What do you think about Thor's theory after watching the film?
What was the most interesting part of his journey in your opinion and why?
I'm not sure if I could have made this journey. Maybe if I was with Thor and his crew..I don't believe that Thor's theory is accurate due to widespread DNA evidence that the Pacific Islands were colonised by Asians. But his journey is remarkable, regardless. I felt that one of the most interesting parts of the journey was the invention of the diving basket. It was an incredibly creative invention. I also wondered about the natives helping them to paddle against the current. I wonder if they were offered any incentive by Thor to assist the expedition or they were merely concerned and wanted to help.
ReplyDeletethanks Shea- Interesting comment about the DNA...nice research. Great post and thanks for being a trail blazer!
ReplyDeleteDo you think you could make this journey?
ReplyDeleteCompleting the journey required determination, improvisation, dedication, and creativity. Just thinking about food sources alone! When they were talking about catching sharks, they mentioned sometimes having up to nine tied up sharks on the raft. And each take something like 3/4 of an hour to die.
What do you think about Thor's theory after watching the film?
I believe there is a lot of compelling evidence for his theory, notably the fact that he really did not navigate and still got to the area he was aiming for. It was certainly well thought-out.
What was the most interesting part of his journey in your opinion and why?
Honestly, the methods they used to feed themselves were quite interesting. The way the caught plankton, and skimmed off the "jellyfish scum" (I wasn't entirely clear on what they meant by that).
I believe that with the help of Thor and his crew, i might have been able to complete this task of sailing across the pacific ocean. However, if it were just my buddies and I, we would have died within the first month out in sea. After watching the film, I learned that Thor was not crazy, and that his theory of polynesians coming from Peru and other parts of South America, could have been possible. (Thanks to the wind currents) The most interesting moment from the film was the sighting of the whale shark. To see something so gigantic, yet so peaceful, is something one would never forget in his/her life.
ReplyDeleteI would have never been able to complete that journey. I think i would have gone crazy for being on a raft for that long. I think his theory was plausible but it didn't work at all. He was just lucky that the current put him at the spot where he wanted to be. The most interesting part, I would have to agree with John, was the whale shark. It just made me feel like these things could take us out so easily but they don't.
ReplyDeleteSailing is no easy task especially when making such a voyage of that distance. Using a vessel of that design can only decrease it's speed as well as make it very vulnerable to the weather. Falling overboard may also prove dangerous due to sharks and getting left behind. The Supplies would also be a huge responsibility because going hungry sucks and you don't want to be starving. so my answer is no because of these difficulties.
ReplyDeleteThor's theory was proven to be some what true. there are many other theories that can accurately prove how people migrate across the Pacific ocean but it is possible to travel from Peru to Polynesia with little technology.
The one part of the movie that struck my interest was how much time was spent into making this voyage possible. Thor had to transport the needed materials from Quivedo, Ecuador to Lima, Peru. After departing they were expected not to return due to there raft made only of wood and rope. This seemed like a death sentence even after they made such a successful raft.
I do not think I could of made the journey alone, with out a crew. Thor's theory in my opinion was right, and even though people told him that he would die and he was wrong, he proved them wrong by staying determined to prove his point. The most interesting part in the movie would have to be the whale shark encounter. Too see such a large animal, in its original habitat would be incredible!And surprising on how calm and relaxed they were by the raft.
ReplyDeleteI do not think I would be able to make this journey. I think Thor's theory is right. People told him that he would not make it and that he would die, but he proved them wrong. The most interesting part of this film was all of the different animals. Like the wales, they could have taken down the raft but instead they got really close and checked them out.
ReplyDeleteIm not sure I could ever make that voyage. I would lose my mind from being stuck on the same tiny ship with the same guys within a week. I would get way to sick of eating fish and I would be terrified of getting lost out at sea or getting eaten by a shark.
ReplyDeleteThor's theory was correct. Most people thought that the South Americans were not civilized or advanced enough to make this voyage and colonize the islands. However, Thor was able to make the voyage on a tiny raft and proved that it was possible for them to make it.
The most interesting part of the video for me was finding out that you can not only eat a dolphin fish but also drink the water from inside it.
No way I could make this journey. I couldn't be on a small raft that like for so long. And it would be scary to know that at any time you could die either from a whale crashing onto the raft, or a huge wave taking you out.
ReplyDeleteThor proved his theory was correct. The wind and currents from South America to the islands never change, and will always take you to the same place, just like they took the primitive people before Thor.
It was amazing that anyone could survive a journey like this, on a small raft built with logs and rope. So many unknowns, and very dangerous. Proves that people can succeed when determined! Also, too many sharks!
I think with the experience that Thor had with the ocean, I would have been able to make the journey across the pacific to Polynesia. Thor acted very professionally when his crew came up with ideas to abandon ship, and the orders he gave his crew ultimately saved their lives.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion Thor proved his theory to be correct, but I feel that his theory cannot be fully proven because of the changing in times and technology for humans.
I think the most interesting part of the video was when the first natives they met automatically knew what kind of raft they had from Polynesian folklore.
I don't think that I could make the journey, what he did was truly remarkable. I think that this film proves Thor's theory as it shows that it is possible to made a journey across the pacific with primitive technology. The most interesting part of the film for me was their various encounters with the ocean's creatures.
ReplyDeleteThis journey really took a lot of effort and determination to get through. I don't think that i would be able to complete this journey, i'd be terrified and not as calm as the crew was on the raft. I probably wouldn't last a night on the raft.
ReplyDeleteI think that Thor's theory was pretty reasonable and he really seemed like he knew what he was doing and everything made sense.
The most interesting part of this journey was when they came to contact with the natives and how they were educated and familiar with their quest.
Blake: What creature or encounter in particular did you find to be most interesting?
ReplyDeleteI think that I would have not been able to do something as incredible as this. I would have honestly been effected by the people who said that I wont make it.
ReplyDeleteThor's theory truly changed the way people looked at the ocean by doing something that no one had the guts to do. His theory was correct because he was able to create a raft and was able to go out to sea without it falling apart.
I think the most amazing part of the video was that the men that went out to sea with Thor were constantly by his side even when people figured that they wouldn't make it back alive