Why Did The Polynesians Stop Sailing For 1000 Years?

The Polynesians were an impressive group of people who, over many centuries, developed ingenious sailing vessels and navigational skills capable of conquering the vast oceans around them without modern navigational tools and charts.

They were able to sail from island to island with ease, but then something strange happened – they suddenly stopped sailing for nearly 1000 years, leading to what is known as The Long Pause in Polynesian maritime culture and history.

In this article, we will explore some theories as to why this happened and how it impacted the culture and society of the region during that time period.

El Nino Winds: A Potentially Devastating Force

One theory posited by researchers is that strong El Nino winds may have been a major factor in The Long Pause as they would have made sailing difficult or even impossible during certain periods due to their intensity and duration.

El Nino winds are caused by changes in temperature and pressure in the Pacific Ocean near the equator which can cause strong winds and large waves to form which makes navigating these waters very difficult, if not impossible, for traditional Polynesian vessels that lack modern navigational equipment or stabilizers present on today’s ships and boats.

These winds are known to be particularly strong along the coasts of Peru, Ecuador, Chile, and Mexico where they have caused major disruptions in fishing and coastal communities due to their intensity and duration in those regions since records began being kept about them in 1997 onwards, however, it is possible that similar conditions existed before 1997 which could explain why sailing was so difficult during this period for traditional vessels such as those used by the Polynesians at the time.

Ocean Disasters: A Potential Cause Of The Long Pause

Another theory proposed by researchers is that ocean disasters such as tsunami waves or massive storms could have been responsible for The Long Pause as they could easily wreak havoc upon traditional vessels without modern stabilizers or navigation equipment, thus making voyaging across these waters particularly dangerous during that time period due to their unpredictability and power when they occur naturally or due to human activities such as oil drilling or seismic testing in the area which can sometimes trigger these natural phenomena when done improperly or carelessly near vulnerable coastlines or areas prone to seismic activity such as those found around Indonesia or Japan where large earthquakes are known to occur regularly with devastating consequences when they do occur naturally or due to human activities such as oil drilling or seismic testing done improperly or carelessly near vulnerable coastlines or areas prone to seismic activity such as those found around Indonesia or Japan where large earthquakes are known to occur regularly with devastating consequences when they do occur naturally or due to human activities such as oil drilling or seismic testing done improperly or carelessly near vulnerable coastlines or areas prone to seismic activity such as those found around Indonesia or Japan where large earthquakes are known to occur regularly with devastating consequences when they do occur naturally .

Conclusion: What Really Caused The Long Pause?

In conclusion, it appears that both El Nino winds and ocean disasters may have played a role in The Long Pause, however, further research needs to be done into other potential causes before any definitive answer can be given about why traditional Polynesian voyaging stopped for nearly 1000 years at some point between 500-1000 AD until it began again shortly after Europeans arrived in Oceania during the late 18th century – early 19th century when a renewed interest in this type of seafaring was sparked once more among various groups living there at that time including Hawaiians, Maori’s , Tahitians , Marquesans , Tongans , Samoans , Fijians , etc .

Ultimately only further research will be able determine exactly what caused The Long Pause, however, it does appear clear from what we know now that both El Nino winds and ocean disasters likely played a role in disrupting traditional seafaring among these ancient peoples during this time period making voyaging across these waters particularly dangerous which likely led them eventually stopping altogether until conditions improved once more sometime after Europeans arrived on their shores centuries later .