MANILA, Philippines – Crafted from a centuries-old design, three identical wooden boats set off from the Philippine capital for China on Saturday to…
MANILA, Philippines – Crafted from a centuries-old design, three identical wooden boats set off from the Philippine capital for China on Saturday to retrace a historic trip by a Filipino sultan and showcase longstanding maritime ties. The 29 crew members on the three vessels — two propelled by engines and the third by sail — hope to make it across the South China Sea, a near-1,000-kilometer (620-mile) voyage, to the eastern city of Xiamen by May 2. The 18-meter (60-foot) boats are replicas of a "balangay", a type of vessel used in the region as far back as 320 AD. Sultan Paduka Batara — who ruled part of what is the Philippines today — sailed to China on a balangay in 1417 to pay tribute and to trade, Valdez said, but fell ill and died there. Spain later colonized the Philippine islands in the 16th century. Expedition leader Arturo Valdez hopes it is a case of fourth-time lucky: winds and rough seas forced his team back on three previous attempts using similar vessels.
