The dark shape is growing with the emerging day. The canoe continues to push along purposely. The wind and seas start to calm, matching the mood of the rising sun. Now you can clearly see the distinct shape of an island, cliffs falling sharply into the sea, the gentle slopes of a mountain behind it, reaching up into the sky. On the deck of the canoe, very few words are spoken.
People reach out and drape arms over each others shoulders.
Nainoa still clings to the mast, savoring the moment of a Rapa Nui landfall. I call our escort boat, the second canoe, Kamahele, and congratulate them for making this landfall with us. They exchange similar wishes and I sense their excitement over the radio. Now the quiet on the canoe has been replaced by hugs and high fives. Nainoa, down from the mast, is smiling with deep satisfaction.