Weekend Getaway: Gunflint Trail

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Weekend-Getaway-GunflintTrail-24Sorry we haven’t posted in a while…..we needed a little break to focus on the present, but we’re back today with some fun inspiration for the weekend.

Sometimes we all need a little time away from our routines to restart our creativity, nourish our relationships, or find ourselves again. While we love to travel to meet new people and discover new ways of living, we also travel simply to regroup, get new perspective, have some adventure and fun, and come back refreshed and ready to attack the daily grind with new energy.Weekend-Getaway-GunflintTrail-9We’ve found we don’t have to travel far to get this little boost, just a day trip or weekend getaway often does the trick. So we are going to start a little series of inspiration for weekend getaways….including places we’ve been and short itineraries of what to do in each place (I love planning, Ta’u’s more of a wing-it guy, so go with what works for you). Often we travel within driving distance of wherever we are living at the time, but if the means are available, you could fly to these places too. Whether you travel to these particular places or it just inspires you to seek adventure near your own home base, we hope you enjoy following along. Continue Reading →

Posted in: Move, our travels, outdoor adventures, Travel, weekend getaways \ Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Healthy Obsessions: Polynesian Voyaging

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I’ve recently had to work on several projects that required I study up on how polynesians navigated the Pacific Ocean thousands of years ago. Being from Easter Island (also part of Polynesia), my ancestors were these same ancient voyagers who trekked across miles of open ocean to settle new islands. The general understanding is that the ancient polynesians sailed using double hulled sailing canoes.  The hulls were made out of wood (usually from giant fallen Koa trees) and the sails were fashioned out of the bark of plants like the paper mulberry bush.

Lele from cliff kapono on Vimeo.

Most recently, there has been a navigational renaissance throughout the nations of the Pacific.  The Polynesian Voyaging Society and their ship the Hokulea were one of the first to start the rescue of ancient knowledge.  The Hokulea has logged numerous sails across throughout the polynesian triangle and now is planning an around-the-world sail in 2014.  In addition, there are at least seven other vessels that have been built and are reviving the ancient practice of wayfinding using currents, winds, waves, and the night sky.  A big backer to this renaissance has been Dieter Paulmann and the Okeanos Foundation as they try to spread a message of caring for the ocean and our natural environment.

Sorry for the lecture, but polynesian navigations is a topic that keeps fascinating me.  I’ve stumbled across a documentary called Our Blue Canoe about these seven canoes and the message they are trying to spread. As of August 2013 it is still in production, but here is a trailer of what they have so far:

If you want to learn more about Okeanos, Hokulea, or Our Blue Canoe, there is a ton of information on their websites.

Posted in: Culture, Film, Islands, videos we like \ Tagged: , , , , , , ,