QLD: Re enactment raft fairing well

AAP General News (Australia)
12-24-1998
QLD: Re enactment raft fairing well

BRISBANE, Dec 24 AAP - A 16-metre bamboo raft tracing what is believed to be man's first
ocean voyage 100,000 years ago was making good progress across the Timor Sea today.

The raft, Nale Tasih, is the project of maritime historian Bob Hobman and is re-enacting
the arrival of the ancestors of the Australian Aborigine from Kupang on the Indonesian island
of Timor to Darwin.

Project spokesman Richard Creswick said: "Due to 15 knot winds the raft made a strong 24
hour run, covering 35 miles."

At 8am (AEST) today the Nale Tasih was 265 nautical miles from its destination.

Mr Creswick said the crew hoped to be well into Australian waters by Christmas Day but
needed the favourable conditions to continue.

The raft's first attempt to cross the Timor Sea earlier this year was thwarted by the El
Nino phenomenon which held back the annual northwest monsoons in the region.

For the second attempt, the raft was rebuilt by Rotinese craftsmen near Kupang and set sail
on December 17.

AAP geb/it

KEYWORD: BAMBOO (CARRIED EARLIER)

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