Viracocha expedition
The Viracocha expedition were expeditions led by professional explorer Phil Buck in 2000 and 2003 when he led multiple international teams across the Pacific Ocean, traveling from South America to Easter Island on two distinct ancient-style reed rafts with the aim of proving that South American mariners could have reached Easter Island.
Both vessels were constructed using four Andean materials: totora reeds, natural fiber rope, cotton sails, and wood.
Inspired by explorer Thor Heyerdahl before his death, Buck's plan was to support the theory that ancient South American voyagers crossed vast ocean expanses in various types of boats including the ancient style reed raft that were quite possibly the key factor of human migration and the spread of civilization.
The expedition set sail from Arica, Chile, and completed the voyage to Easter Island, Polynesia, in 44 days in 2000.
[1] In March 2003, a team of eight men, again led by Phil Buck, set sail from Vina del Mar, Chile aboard a completely new reed raft, the Viracocha II, in an attempt to sail 10,000 nautical miles across the entire Pacific Ocean to Cairns, Australia, via Easter Island and other islands of Polynesia.
The next phase involved the creation of the "estera" or skin of the boat, made by weaving the best quality reeds of the required length.
Two 2250-foot strands of sisal rope were then passed around one large bundle and around the heart in one-foot revolutions for the entire length, and the same was done on the other side.
Two center boards are positioned in the slide boxes placed in the fore and aft of the ship, aiding in tacking into the wind.
Like the Virachocha I the Viracocha III was scheduled to sail from Arica, Chile, to Mangareva, in French Polynesia, and from there attempt to island-hop to Australia.
As recounted by Youtuber Maks Ukraniets who recorded the entire expedition in his video,[8] the journey ended after 109 days when the crew had to abandon ship 85 miles from Tahiti, when they were rescued by a passing cargo boat.
