Chine bLog

Location: Majuro, Marshall Islands

The other night, I added a post about the return of proa racing to the Marshall Islands. Don't you know, then, that days later, we now have some video of the 2001 races. "aqlunafoo" added a post to the Proa-file yahoo group with four interesting videos. Many thanks!

Here are some race videos. As with much on YouTube, it is really a music video, with the ame footage repeated a few time. No matter, its well done and show the boats going through their paces. They look like a blast.

Here is another video, this of a bigger boat from the Marshalls. This looks like it might be a fishing boat, but it is clear it is pretty fast. Another gem here.

We are going around the world tonight here at Chine bLog! Madagascar! Antigua! And now, drum-roll, please, the Marshall Islands! That's right: three oceans, three island nations, and, best of all, three traditional wooden sailing craft! Wooohoooo!

Our offering from the Marshalls (in the middle of the Pacific) is a recent article in Pacific Magazine about the return of sailing races in traditional 18-foot breadfruit tree-log “korkor” (canoes).

These are, in my humble opinion, some nice-looking proas. It is fantastic to hear news of these boats coming back as a class and of the regatta being a success. I hope these races spread and prosper. Somebody put the next round on YouTube so we can see these in action!

Location: Majuro, Marshall Islands