A double hulled Polynesian canoe, the Okeanos Marianas, has returned to Saipan after a week-long voyage to Guam.
Okeanos Marianas arriving in the waters off Susupe Civic Park on Saipan. Photo: Mark Rabago
The 15-metre vessel was built in New Zealand and delivered to the Marianas earlier this month.
It's being eyed up for commercial transport in the Marianas.
The canoe and its crew of nine sailed to Rota last Wednesday delivering bikes for a local triathlon.
The journey took 12 hours.
It was another 10 hours to Guam further south west where the vessel took on some lumber for refurbishing another traditional canoe, the Roberta L.
The managing director of Okeanos Sustainable Sea Transport which operates the canoe, Emma Perez, said the voyage to Guam brought it home that the Northern Marianas Islands and Guam are not as far apart from one another as they may seem.
