Sea Control 596: The Last Navigator with Steve Thomas

Sea Control 596: The Last Navigator with Steve Thomas

From Sea Control by CIMSEC Podcasting Team

February 5, 2026 · 53 min · Episode 597

About this episode

Steve Thomas discusses his book The Last Navigator and his experiences with traditional navigation.

Author, builder, adventurer, sailor, and Emmy-award winning TV host Steve Thomas joins the podcast to discuss the revised, extended re-issue of his book The Last Navigator, originally published in 1987. After college Steve sailed a 40’ sloop from England to San Francisco via the Panama Canal, Galapagos, Marquesas and Hawaii. In the early 1980's, Steve journeyed to the remote Micronesian island of Satawal to learn the ancient skill of star path navigation under the late master navigator, Mau Piailug. His research resulted in the critically acclaimed book, The Last Navigator, and a one-hour documentary for PBS’s Adventure. It was in 1989, in between research trips to the Alaskan Arctic for a second Adventure book and film, that Steve got a call from the series publicist, who also worked for This Old House, whose producers were conducting a nationwide search for a new host ….. and the rest is history. J. Overton is co-host of the Sea Control podcast and edited the essay collection “Seapower by Other Means: Naval Contributions to National Objectives Beyond Sea Control, Power Projection, and Traditional Service Missions.”

People in this episode

Host: J. Overton

Guest: Steve Thomas

Topics covered

  • navigation
  • adventure
  • sailing
  • Micronesia
  • book discussion
  • cultural heritage

Keywords

  • navigation
  • Steve Thomas
  • The Last Navigator
  • Micronesia
  • sailing
  • PBS
  • adventure

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: PBS

Books & works: The Last Navigator

Places: Satawal, Alaskan Arctic, San Francisco, Panama Canal, Galapagos, Marquesas, Hawaii

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