Chapter 7, To the South Sea Islands Summary and Analysis

By early morning, Herman spots the island and calls Thor on deck to look. As the sky lightens toward the sunrise, they see the line of land in the distance and determine that the name of the island is Puka Puka, the most eastwardly lying part of the Polynesian chain. The natives send up smoke signals to invite the crew to land, but this ends up being a harder than anticipated. Winds and currents force the Kon-Tiki away from the sight and smells of land.

The next morning they see clouds over the islands Fangahina and Angatau. Three days later, they sail near Angatau, and certain that they would make their landing there, the crew hoists the flags of America, Britain, Peru, Sweden and the Explorers Club. However, an impassable coral...