For over 250 years the craft of building and sailing the Proa was lost to the islanders of the Northern Mariana Islands. Through forced migration by the Spanish colonialists and depopulation the local tribes of Chamorro lost their skills at boatmaking.
However when Commodore Anson approached Tinian harbour in August 1742, he and his crew were amazed by the sight they beheld of this sailing craft skimming across the water. Here is the entry from his log:-
“These Indians are no ways defective in understanding, for their flying proas in particular, which during ages past have been the only vessels employed by them, are so singular and extraordinary an invention that it would do honour to any nation, however dexterous and acute, since, if we consider the aptitude of this proa to the navigation of these islands, which lying all of them nearly under the same meridian, and with the limits of the trade wind, require the vessels make use of in passing from one to the other to be particularly fitted for sailing with the wind upon the beam; or if we examine the uncommon simplicity and ingenuity of its fabric and contrivance, or the extraordinary velocity with which moves, we shall in each of these articles, find it worthy of our admiration, and deserving a place amongst the mechanical productions of the most civilised nations where arts and sciences have most eminently flourished...”
But most critically, it was the scale drawing of a flying proa undertaken by his lieutenant Piercy Brett which is the only surviving accurate drawing of the vessel. This is now being used as a blueprint, and in the last five years there have been five proas constructed. We went out on a 26 foot proa for a sail around the bay. Quite an exhilirating ride, and a new approach to sailing. The local organisation 500sails.org plans to get 500 proas built by 2030.