The design of our unique proa “Proasis” was born in a very special place: the Enewetok Atoll!
Never heard about that place? Well, honestly Bikini, Enewetoks neighbor atoll, is wider known (the swimsuit is actually named after it). Enewetok and Bikini, both located in the Marshall Islands, were used as nuclear test side by the US military in 1940’s and 1950’s.
In total, 67 nuclear bombs were tested in Bikini, 44 more in Enewetok. The native population of those islands was ruthless relocated. Most of them left home forever.
Further information regarding the Marshallese nuclear legacy can be found here.
Enewetok is such a special place, it can only be reached by a 900 nm boat ride – once or twice a year – on irregular base. Unless you are lucky and catch the ride of your lifetime on a traditional polynesian catamaran replica!
After a bumpy sail of 6 days crossing almost the entire Marshall islands, first sketches and 3D-models were born out of a mixture of salt, sun, wind and nuclear radiation:
