One hundred years ago this week, a massive yacht named Kaimiloa set off on a historic voyage from San Francisco to Tahiti. During the trip, it became the first to send a clear radio signal across an entire ocean. It was also one of the first hybrid ships, using sails and a diesel engine.
South Florida historian Cesar Becerra was working on another project when he got a tip about this little-remembered voyage that had lasting impacts on science and technology. Earlier this year, he published a book about it titled "The Kaimiloa Project." HPR talked with Becerra about the historic voyage that also made a stop in Hawaiʻi.
Becerra was on Oʻahu earlier this week and is currently in Hilo as part of a worldwide speaking tour. He’ll be at Basically Books tomorrow at 4 p.m. For more information, click here.
This interview aired on The Conversation on Nov. 14, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
