~~~~~~~~~~~~
Re Polynesian navigation: Y'know, this is a nice mental escape from the election mess!
When -- after over 40 years constant subscriptions (ca 2005)-- I could no longer stand the liberal & Gorebull Wahruming BS of Nat Geo and Sci AM -- I dumped them. The article(s) on Polynesian navigation were some time between 2001 & 2005... Checked Nat Geo website -- but no archival searching is offered...
Did web search for, "Polynesian navigation methods" -- and -- BINGO! Turns out there is even a "Polynesian Voyaging Society" (http://www.pvs.hawaii.org)!
First solid hit was a PDF of a PowerPoint -- from Colorado U, of all places...
"Secrets of Traditional Polynesian Navigation"
IMHO, the PDF is definitely worth downloading.
It appears that most long-distance navigation was celestial* -- with "Huina Au Holo" (Current refraction) kicking in within 30-60 mi. of landfall...
*Be sure to check out how "landmarks" on the navigator's hand were used to measure degrees above the horizion -- with fractional-degree accuracy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That should be enough to get you started on the subject. Please let me know if you run across something cool...
FReQgards,
TXnMA
