Save the Med (STM) had the great opportunity to join our former, very beloved team member, and now captain, Alice Mason. Along with the crew of the beautiful Vaka Motu “Okeanos”, we enjoyed a day sail out of Andratx. This was a marvellous moment to share stories, experiences, knowledge and ideas, in the name of marine regeneration.
The Vaka Motu that Alice sails is a traditionally designed catamaran, originating in the Pacific Islands. She belongs to a pan-Pacific fleet of sailing vessels of different models that have been purposefully built by Pacific Islanders. They are equipt with wind and solar technology to provide sustainable, safe and reliable sea transportation and services to remote communities in the Pacific.
The project -inspired by a Pacific folktale that describes the Earth drifting through the universe like a blue canoe- is supported by the non-profit organisation Okeanos – Foundation for the Sea. Okeanos works to encourage and facilitate innovative and transformative community-led solutions to the social and environmental challenges that small Pacific Islands nations are facing. These include inter-island transportation, fossil-free energy production, food sovereignty, and ownership of fishing rights.
The organisation’s founder, Dieter Paulmann, grew to love the Pacific after his first encounter with a great white sperm whale (Moby Dick?). Inspired by the culture, spirituality and ancient stories of voyaging, he partnered with Pacific communities to support them towards sustainability and economic independence.
“The seemingly peaceful tropical landscapes of South Pacific Islands camouflage a brutal history of colonialism which decimated sustainable lifestyles evolved from thousands of years of collaboration with the sea. The last two hundred years of history were shaped by an unparalleled expansion of Western-capitalist culture. During the post-colonial era, the Western world extended its dominance using economic politics which alienated local economies from their traditional cultural rules and from the sustainable use of natural resources. This resulted in poverty, dependency, a lack of identity and above all environmental degradation.” explains Paulmann.
With the realisation that any economy that is based on ‘growth-at-any-cost’, destroys the resource base necessary for its own existence. That economic independence and a just economy in balance with nature is the only way forwards for the island nations. This left a pressing need to restore transportation systems and improve collaboration between the islands.
The distances that separate the Pacific Islands are connected by the ocean, and sea transportation is “…the circulation system of this invisible continent”, as Dieter describes it. However, the limited boats that the islanders were left with were outdated, expensive and dependent on fossil fuel. Through the building of a Vaka fleet, south Pacific communities once again embraced their indigenous knowledge while combining it with fossil-free technology to develop a sustainable alternative.
Between April 2011 and August 2012, a fleet of seven of the larger vessels embarked on a long voyage among the Pacific Islands. This was named “Te Mana o Te Moana” (“The Spirit of the Ocean”) to connect Pacific islanders with their traditions, the ocean, and themselves. Collectively, the crew, which represented all the different island nations, sailed 210,000 nautical miles of open ocean.
“The spirit of tradition and ancient wisdom spoke to our hearts and created a longing for solidarity, cooperation, and kinship while allowing us to freely abandon feelings of competition, greed and jealousy,” describes Dieter.
Since then, the Foundation has evolved and even reached the Mediterranean Sea, where a smaller type of Vaka -the “Vaka Motu” (“Boat for the Island”)- now sails, steered by a traditional wood steering paddle called a “hoe”.
Here in the Mediterranean, Okeanos supports other organisations and projects in their activities and encourages youth to engage in environmental protection and social transformation through the “Waves of Action” project.
“The Vaka is like an open book to be offered to people and organisations who want to use it and write shared stories. A platform that can be used to spark conversations and share experiences for the common good,” explains Jorge Roda, who now works as operations manager at Save the Med Foundation but who used to skipper this same Vaka in the Mediterranean two years ago. Together with Alice, he helped coordinate this new collaboration between Okeanos and Save the Med.
“I actually did my first STM beach clean as a volunteer with Alice back in the days when she worked for STM. To sail together now that she captains the Vaka Motu, which I used to skipper on, while I work with her team at STM and join forces to achieve common goals, is definitely a full-circle moment – one of many from this day!
The day itself was spectacular, with sunshine and perfect winds of up to 15 knots. Before sailing, in the traditional manner, the other Vaka skipper, Jorge Sanchez, who is very knowledgeable in Māori tradition, said a Māori prayer or “Karakia,” to welcome the Gods for guidance and protection, holding a sacred and safe space for everyone on board. It was a magical moment that gave us all goosebumps.
“That Karakia has brought me home safely from many voyages. It was touching to hear it again today,” says Jorge Roda from STM.
“Another moment that was special was that of an exercise that Jorge Sanchez guided us through. We all closed our eyes and used each of our other senses to fully feel the elements, to truly experience being here and now, and to feel the connection between us deeply. It really brought us together and to the present moment.” Jorge Roda further explains.
Jorge Roda sees great value in collaborations like this one that are evolving between Okeanos and Save the Med. “I can already envision a variety of meaningful projects and actions that we can bring to life together. Doing it on such a unique vessel with which I have a personal history, makes it all the more beautiful and exciting,” he says enthusiastically.
Replacing a day in the office for a day on the Vaka Motu, raising sails and enjoying the Balearic Sea while sharing ocean knowledge, project ideas and delicious foods, was a day enjoyed by everyone on board, and we are looking forward to more of this in the near future.
To learn more about Okeanos – Foundation for the Sea, visit: www.okeanos-foundation.org
To learn more about Save the Med Foundation, visit: www.savethemed.org
About the Fleet
Over the years, three types of Vaka were developed, providing solar-powered alternative ocean transportation for almost every Pacific need:
- The VAKA MOANA (Boat of the Ocean): the largest traditional canoe built according to drawings made by James Cook around 1770. She has two masts, a maximum weight of 14 tons, accommodates 16 people, and is able to carry 4 tons of load. She is made for open sea transportation over long distances with the larger goal of reviving traditional Pacific culture for the next generation.
- The VAKA MOTU (Boat for the Island) is a smaller version of the Vaka Moana. She has one mast, a maximum weight of 9 tons, and can accommodate 12 people and 3 tons of cargo. She is primarily designed for commercial operation between the islands.
- The VAKA HAPUA (Boat for the Lagoon) is covered by solar panels and has no mast. It’s the first Vaka model intended for transportation within lagoons. She ferries 16 passengers with luggage and little cargo.
All three Vaka models share the same technologies, including solar panels, battery type, electric engines, controllers and switchboards. They differ only with regard to battery size or engine performance. This helps to ensure a high degree of operating efficiency and security.
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