Traditional navigators use a range of signs that show they are close to land before they can actually see it. Clouds hanging over high islands, reflections of lagoons in the sky, plants washed out into the ocean after a storm on land, wave refraction patterns (swells ‘bouncing’ off islands alters their patterns), and birds coming out to fish during the day and then returning to their home island are all signs used to detect land.
Exploring waka may have followed migrating birds, as told in Māori tradition. The long-tailed cuckoo comes to New Zealand from tropical Polynesia in October, and shearwaters would have been observed flying south in September. People would have known that land lay in that direction, but not how far away it was.
Exploring waka may have followed migrating birds, as told in Māori tradition. The long-tailed cuckoo comes to New Zealand from tropical Polynesia in October, and shearwaters would have been observed flying south in September. People would have known that land lay in that direction, but not how far away it was.