AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
SCIENTISTS ON RAFT RECORD DRIFT IN HUMBOLDT CURRENT Rec. 11 p.m. NEW YORK, June 19. The six Norwegian scientists of the Kon-tiki raft expedition which is attempting to follow the presumed route of pre-Incan migration from Peru to Polynesia 1500 years ago have radioed that they made a record drift in the Humboldt current of 132 miles in the last two days. The raft is already ahead of schedule and if the new speed is held the expedition should reach Tahiti in approximately 100 days instead of the 120 estimated when the scientists left Cellao. Earlier this week the Norwegians radioed that they had passed the half-way mark in 55 days. The raft depends for propulsion on the normal drift of the Humboldt current and a small square sail. The two days’ spurt compares favourably with the speed of small sloops and yawls, which average approximately 100 miles daily in the south-east trade winds between the Galapagos Islands and the Society Islands.
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Otago Daily Times, Issue 26493, 21 June 1947, Page 7
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165AHEAD OF SCHEDULE Otago Daily Times, Issue 26493, 21 June 1947, Page 7
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