Flight of the Sarimanok (produced by Orana Films) is the story of Bob Hobman and “Chico” Hansen’s determined 1985 effort to sail a primitive 60′ outrigger vinta canoe across the Indian Ocean along with crew members Bill McGrath, Colin Putt, Australian Robin Davy (professional diver), cameraman and experienced sailor Peter Rogers, Steve Corrigan, Sally Crook (a nutritionist from London, England), Don King and Albrecht Schaeffer, a journalist from Germany.
The purpose? To prove that Indonesians traveled straight across the ocean to colonize the Northern tip of Madagascar using only the sun and the stars, disproving the long-held theory that they did so in short jumps along the coasts.
After losing Charles “Chico” Hansen on a failed short-lived initial attempt, Bob is joined by new crew on a refitted Sarimanok. The first to join him are American navigator Bill McGrath and boat specialist Colin Putt from New Zealand.
All modern navigational aids are securely locked away tpo be used only in case of emergency. Instead, the navigator will rely on primitive navigational aids like the trusty “shadow stick.”
British “nutritionist but-not-a-cook” Sally Crook is responsible for packing only food that the original migrant voyagers would have taken with them to the island of Madagascar, chief of which would have been the staple food of Asians then and now: rice. Additionally Sally procures plenty of coconuts, taro root and leaves, dried fish (which will hopefully be supplemented along the way with fresh fish), dried bananas, sprouted soybeans, vinegar and a few spices.
A 4,000 mile voyage lies ahead of them and all will be fine as long as the trade winds cooperate. If they move around though, the crew’s ability to stay on course will be seriously hampered.
Finally, after the Balinese provide a Hindu “blessing” the Sarimanok slips its mooring and heads into the Lombok Strait of the Indian Ocean bound for Antsiranana, Madagascar, aka Diego Suarez.
2,500 years after the first settlers made the same journey, how will this voyage end?
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Bob Hobman’s book “Sarimanok” is available in print or as an ebook.