Florentino Das

Exactly 44 years ago of July 23, Cebuanos were witnesses to a heroic feat.

A Filipino named Florentino Das sailed into local waters and docked at Pier 2 to the cheers of thousands of onlookers and the screams of sirens from welcoming tugboats. His feat: he had sailed solo from Hawaii to the Philippines, crossing the pacific Ocean on a frail 24-foot sailboat by two 25 hp out-board motors and a canvas sail.

Das constructed the sloop himself from salvaged materials. He built it in three months and named it Lady Timarau, in honor of the wives of the members of the Timarau Club of Honolulu who sponsored his voyage.

According to the article in The Republic Daily, Das left Honolulu in May (1956) and negotiated the Pacific crossing in 365 Days. Braving six typhoons along the way, he supported himself during the voyage with a stock of biscuits and canned goods. He stopped at the islands along the way and occasionally fed himself with the flying fish that he caught and ate raw.

A 38-year-old Filipino fisherman in a coastal village in Maui, Das was a father of eight. He told reporters in Cebu that he decided to make the voyage because he wanted very much to visit the home country but was “too poor” to pay for regular transport passage. He also added that he wanted to accomplish the feat to inspire his Filipino brothers into doing something worthwhile for their country.

Das was a sterling example that the Filipino can do it.

One wonders: What eventually became of this Filipino Ulysses?

Source: Ybarra