Pacific Voyages

The Pacific Ocean is the biggest ocean on Earth. It covers more area than all the land put together. People have been sailing across it for thousands of years. Both ancient Polynesians and European explorers made amazing voyages across its waters.

Polynesian Sailors

The Polynesian people were some of the greatest sailors in history. They sailed to tiny islands spread across the huge Pacific. Their boats were large canoes with sails made of woven leaves. They used the stars, the waves, and even the flight of birds to find their way. They settled islands from Hawaii to New Zealand.

European Explorers

European explorers also sailed the Pacific. A Portuguese sailor named Ferdinand Magellan was the first European to cross it in 1521. Later, a British captain named James Cook explored many parts of the Pacific in the 1700s. He mapped islands that Europeans had never seen before. His trips helped the world learn about places like Australia and New Zealand.

Fun Facts

• The Pacific Ocean is big enough to hold all the continents.
• Polynesians sailed to Hawaii from other islands over 1,500 miles away.
• Magellan named the ocean 'Pacific' because it looked calm and peaceful.

Did You Know?

Some Polynesian navigators could find islands just by feeling how the ocean waves moved their canoes.