Kon-Tiki2 facts for kids
The Kon-Tiki2 Expedition was an exciting adventure that happened in 2015. It involved building and sailing two special rafts made of balsawood from Peru all the way to Easter Island. The main goals were to prove that balsawood rafts could travel long distances across the ocean and to gather important scientific information about the southeast Pacific Ocean.
The team built both rafts in just 30 days. They then sailed them for more than 2,000 nautical miles, which is a very long way! After 43 days at sea, they successfully reached Easter Island. This was a big achievement, as no other balsa rafts had sailed to Easter Island in modern times.
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What Was the Kon-Tiki2 Expedition?
The Kon-Tiki2 Expedition was an ocean journey inspired by famous ancient voyages. It aimed to show how people might have traveled across the Pacific Ocean long ago. The expedition used two rafts named Rahiti Tane and Tupac Yupanqui.
Building the Expedition Rafts
The rafts were built using balsawood, a very light and strong wood. This wood was brought from Ecuador to a shipyard in Callao, Lima, Peru. The shipyard was called SIMA. The building process was quick, taking only one month.
How Kon-Tiki2 Rafts Were Different
The Kon-Tiki2 rafts were similar to the famous Kon-Tiki raft built by Thor Heyerdahl in 1947. However, there were some key differences. The original Kon-Tiki used a rudder to steer. The Kon-Tiki2 rafts used special boards called guara boards. These boards allowed the rafts to steer even when sailing against the wind.
The Kon-Tiki2 rafts also had modern technology. They carried satellite equipment for communication and navigation. They also had solar panels to power their equipment. Scientific tools were on board to collect data about the ocean and weather.
The Journey Across the Pacific
The expedition successfully sailed from Peru to Easter Island. This first part of the journey showed that balsawood rafts could indeed travel vast distances. The crew collected valuable scientific data during this time.
The Return Journey and Its Challenges
After reaching Easter Island, the rafts began their return journey towards South America. This part of the trip faced very difficult weather conditions. After 71 days at sea, the rafts had sailed halfway back to South America.
The expedition leader, Torgeir Higraff, made a tough decision. He chose to end the expedition early. This was done to keep all the crew members safe. They did not want to risk anyone's life in the bad weather.
All the crew members were safely taken off the rafts by a Japanese freighter. Later, the Chilean Armada helped transport them to shore.
Who Was on the Kon-Tiki2 Expedition?
The Kon-Tiki2 Expedition had a diverse crew from many different countries. People from Norway, Russia, the UK, Mexico, New Zealand, Sweden, and Peru were part of the team.
Expedition Leaders and Scientists
- Øyvin Lauten and Kari Skår Dahl were captains for the first part of the journey.
- Signe Meling and Ola Borgfjord were captains for the second part.
- Cecilie Mauritzen was the chief scientist, leading all the research.
- Håkon Wium Lie was the CTO, in charge of all the technology.
- On the return trip, Pedro De La Torre managed the technical equipment and scientific work.
