Some used their sight, others used the touch of a hand or paddle, or the sensation of how the canoe was rocked by these distinct waves. The Pacific Ocean is very vast and islands can be thousands of miles away from each other. The travelers had to rely on a limited amount of food and water. So the Polynesians must have needed some idea that they were on the right track. Another navigational technique was to follow the migratory path of sea birds .
Sea birds go out to sea to feed in the morning and return to the islands at night.
By observing the natural world around them and applying this knowledge to innovative methods of seafaring, the Polynesians were centuries ahead of other explorers. Inc. All rights reserved.