To the skeptics’ surprise, the raft proved Heyerdahl correct when it remained seaworthy for the 101 days it took to reach Raroia, Polynesia. The balsam proved perfect for floating gracefully through storms, and the sea provided all the necessary rations. Not a single man was seriously injured, starved, or lost during the long trip.

Heyerdahl returned triumphant to Norway, where he wrote a memoir of the trip called ‘The Kon-Tiki Expedition.’’ It’s now been translated into 70 languages, spawned documentaries and films, and continues to inspire those adventurers with nothing but the dream.

I love it when a plan comes together!