ABORA III – On the North route across the Atlantic ocean

The voyage from Africa to America along the South route doesn’t cause any major difficulties. All swimming objects are floated across the Atlantic only by the strong equatorial stream and the permanent trade wind and without any additional exterior forces. Not even canvas or a crew would be necessary. However there’s the question how sailors returned to Africa 14,000 years ago. The Atlantic passage from America to the Old World runs through the North Atlantic along the Gulf Stream. This North route is not supported steadily by consistent winds. Depending on the weather conditions East winds can arise unexpectedly. In this case, the crew and the ship have to sail against the wind many days – otherwise they would be driven back to the starting point of their journey. Today’s navy experts however deny the stone-age sailors’ and their reed boats’ ability to sail against the wind. As a consequence they also negate the return over the North Atlantic passage 14,000 years ago. Accordingly, regular transatlantic transatlantic trade relations are not considered possible. However, the discovery of tobacco and cocaine in Egypt mummies strengthen the thesis of former trade relations between the continents. Now our challenge lies in collecting evidence in order to prove the critics wrong. The history of global exchange is longer than we all assume today. It’s about time to rethink history!

ABORA III – completion and testing in New York

The body of the reed boat was built by the Ayamara family Limachi at the Lake Titicaca in Bolivia and transported to America in spring 2007. Unfortunately it arrived in Liberty Harbor/NJ, its final place of manufacturing on the Hudson river, with a lot damages. The members of the Association of Experimental Archeology then finished the ship construction in Liberty Harbor which is located right across the skyline of Manhattan. The whole boat was modeled on preegypt rock paintings. In its ultimate version the boat consisted of two cabins, one post, two helms, and 14 leeboards. The Abora III was eventually launched to the water in Liberty Harbor on June 8, 2007. After that a row of sailing trials were conducted on the Hudson in order to test the ancient rigging and to prepare the crew for the rough conditions on the Atlantic. The American company Aqua-Survey supported the Abora team with this complicated job. On July 11, 2007, the Abora III finally started its adventurous expedition from the Circle Lines Terminal West Manhattan in New York. The public interest was overwhelming. For the first time in the modern age an international team tried to cross the North Atlantic which is considered impassable with a prehistoric sailing boat.

ABORA III – the international crew

Name: Markus Uhlig Occupation: forestry student Home: Chemnitz, Germany Personal: Markus has been part of the project group for two years. Sailing experience: Having met Dominique for the first time, Markus began building his first ship three years ago. After a two week canoe trip he decided to support a “real” reed boat project. Motivation: “It’s a real experience!” Name: Tormod Granheim Occupation: photographer, adventurer and motivation coach Home: Oslo, Norway Personal: Tormod is the first person who successfully skied the north side of Mount Everest. He has comprehensive climbing and skiing skills as well as expedition experience from his trips to the Himalayas and Alps. Sailing experience: Tormod already navigated smaller ships in front of the Norwegian coast. Website: www.tormodgranheim.com Motivation: “After the ski run from Mount Everest I wanted to do something completely different. Sailing with the ABORA definitely is a challenge. I am also curious about how the international crew will work together.” Name: Peter Schmolke Occupation: CEO of a software development company Home: Gotha, Germany Personal: Peter holds a diploma in mathematics and works as a successful developer in the European software engineering trade. Sailing experience: Peter has basic knowledge of sailing. Motivation: “As a child I already dreamed of sailing adventurers. During my entire career I always wanted to inspire other people and to be successful.” Name: Ingo Isensee Occupation: media engineer, cameraman Home: Dresden, Germany Personal: Ingo studied media engineering. He now works as a cameramann and technician for different broadcast stations and event agencies. Sailing experience: Ingo already was a crew member of ABORA I and ABORA II. Website: www.ingo-isensee.de Motivation: “After all the experiences we’ve made with ABORA I and ABORA II I am excited how ABORA III will work on the Atlantic.” Name: Andrea Müller Occupation: student Home: Chemnitz, Germany Personal: After living in France for two years, Andrea started studying linguistics, literature and culture at the University of Dresden in 2006. Sailing experience: Andrea gained basic kowledge in sailing during the test run of the ABORA III. Motivation: “I’m a part of it. Let the adventure begin.” Name: Dominique Görlitz Occupation: biology and experimental archaeology Home: Chemnitz, Germany Personal: Dominique is doing research in the fields of experimental archaeology, biology and vegetation geography.In corporation with the IPK Gatersleben he works on his dissertation on the “transatlantic distribution of cultivated plants” at the university of Bonn. Sailing experience: Dominique is probably the most experienced reed boat expert. He already sailed with reed boat when he was a child, conducted several reed boar expeditions later on and discovered the leeboard sailing technique on prehistoric rock paintings. Website: www.abora3.com Motivation: “I hope to collect the ultimate evidence that a highly developed seefare already existed in the antiquity.” Name: Sabrina Lorenz Occupation: archaeometry student Home: Dresden, Germany Personal: Sabrina already worked as a scientific diver and tourist guide in France. Sailing experience: Sabrina was part of the crew of the ABORA II expedition. Motivation: “I’m fascinated by the Atlantic because there are so many undiscovered secrets. The adventure will be a once in a lifetime experience.” Name: Mark Hobert Occupation: biologist Home: Bovenden, Germany Personal: As a biologist, Mark has always been facinated by the sea. The project’s mixure of reed, water and adventure is exactly what he’s looking for. Sailing experience: Mark doesn’t have any sailing experiences except for the test runs on the Hudson river between New York and New Jersey. Motivation: “This is the chance for the biggest adventure in my life so far. I could not have missed it.” Name: José "Joe" Valmana Occupation: real estate broker Home: Cuba, but living in Miami, FL Personal: Joe was born in Slovakia and raised in Cuba. Later on he studied in Russia. He now lives in Miami with his family. Due to his multicultural background he speaks four languages fluently. Segelerfahrung: Joe verfügt über Segelgrundkenntnisse. Website: www.valmana.com Motivation: “I love history and read Thor Heyerdahl books when I was a child. I accept untoward circumstances to bringt the historic proofs that are not recognised by the general public.” Name: Thomas "Banner-Man" Wittka Occupation: engineer Home: Munich, Germany Personal: In his “normal” life, Thomas is a automotive engineer. As a diver and sculler he is attracted by the water and fascinated by individual challenges. Sailing experience: Thomas has been working with Dominique since 1996. He has been involved in almost every expedition so far. Motivation: “I’m fascinated by the technical possibilites that already enabled humans in prehistoric times to built seafaring boats.Moreover, it’s a one-time chance for life experience and adventure.” Name: Mike Polzin Occupation: sailing teacher Home: Bad Hindelang, Germany Personal: Mike lived on the isle of Corsica for 20 years and worked as a sailing teacher. Now he is back home in his beloved Bavaria and supports the ABORA team. Sailing experience: Mike is part of the team since the first project ABORA I and contributes his sailing experience as a boatswain. Motivation: “Since my first contact with Dominique in 1999 I’m magically attracted by reed boats. I just had to be part of it again.”

ABORA III - Reconstruction in the middle of the ocean

One week after the big storm the crew of the Abora III had converted the spoilt float into a real sailing boat again. Because of the shortening the boat was extremely weather helm (tendeny of the boat to sail against the wind). To compensate for this lack and to get the reed boat sailing again, the leader of the expedition consulted ancient images of temples and ships from Greek vases. The Sailing results after the reparation exceeded all expectations. The boat was able to sail in full sail and up to 100° across the wind again. With better weather the hope increased to at least reach the Azores. Further work on the body of the boat could stabilize the uplift pressure. Only the afterdeck tilted a little into the water. A big convoy ship was ordered from the Azores in order to guarantee the safety of all crew members. Only two days after the repair and the reconstruction of the weather-beaten Abora III the international crew was surprised by an additional strong low-pressure area. The fact that all new installations were only provisional arrangements that would stand only 4 wind forces created a completely new situation. Thanks to the best possible preparation all installations were able to stand even the pressure of the waves and winds the accompanied the next low-pressure area with wind forces up to 5. But when the wind rised from 19 kn to 26 kn a huge and short wave built up within two hours. The ancient Egyptian rudder device couldn’t stand these strains und broke on the windward side. The reconstruction of the ship, the absent high pressure area of the Azores and the increased probability of new low pressure areas made the expedition leader end the experiment 550 sea miles away from the Azores.

ABORA III - sailing experience on a prehistoric square-rigger

The crew on board was given the great opportunity to explore the sailing ability of a prehistoric square-rigger. They were allowed to experience how certain constructions proved under the storm on the high sea and how others didn’t stand the strains of the North Atlantic. Apart from that, the experiences from the expedition which covered a distance of about 2,400 sea miles provide new and up to now unknown findings on the expansion possibilities of prehistoric civilized people. The recorded observations and technical measurements of the Abora III expedition led to the assessment that early cultures were in fact able to cross the North Atlantic with reed boats. Furthermore there is clear evidence about what caused the sternpost to brake off. However, this unexpected event offered the opportunity to reconstruct a damaged, hard to maneuver ship in the middle of the Atlantic and thus to continue the journey on the sea. Unfortunately, the Abora III didn’t reach its final destination. Nevertheless many scientific questions could be answered and a large amount of findings were gathered. Therefore the end of the voyage of the Abora III should not question the whole field of research which stands right at the beginning of a long learning process. The fact that the Abora III didn’t make it to the Spanish coast does not prove that transatlantic ship voyages were not possible. In ancient times Atlantic crossings surely were not mastered with one single reed boat but always in groups of boats. However, there are no exact figures available about how many boats started out and how many of them actually reached their destination. Above all, the journey of the Abora III proved that sailing sports, sciences, and team work can form a symbiotic relationship to answer up to now unsolved questions of the archaeology.