Ailuk Atoll

Ailuk in the northern Ratak chain is the atoll where Marshallese sailing canoes are still built and used as everyday transport rather than kept as heritage: outrigger canoes with the asymmetric hull and the shunting rig that make them among the fastest traditional sailing craft anywhere, moving people and goods between the islets. Around two hundred and thirty people live there. The atoll has fifty-seven islets and the ocean side takes the full weight of the trade wind swell. There is no harbour, so everything comes ashore through the pass or across the reef by boat.

History

The first recorded European sighting was by the Spanish expedition of Miguel López de Legazpi on 10 January 1565, which charted the atoll as Los Placeres, "the pleasures", and named two of its islets San Pedro and San Pablo after the expedition's two leading ships (Wikipedia, Ailuk Atoll).

Highlights

• The sailing canoes - traditional outriggers used as everyday transport.
• The asymmetric hull - the design that makes the craft so fast.
• The canoe building - the skills still practised on the atoll.
• The lagoon - the water the canoes work across.

When to go

December to April is the drier season and the trade wind is steady. Flights and ships are irregular. The wet season brings heavier weather.

Practical notes

Transport is irregular and getting stuck is normal. There is no accommodation beyond community arrangements. Supplies must be carried.

Nearby

Likiep is southwest, and Majuro is far south.

Key facts