Skimming across low waves in San Diego Bay, the skipper, 33-year-old British Olympian Chris Draper, peered beneath the 70-foot-tall carbon-framed wing powering the boat.
In August 1928, during the original rescue operation for Amundsen and the French crew, the left wing pontoon of the Latham 47 flying boat was recovered from the sea.
The final hour-and-a-half is by banca, a small motorized canoe that uses wing-like lateral floats that extend a few meters from the boat to help navigate choppy waters.