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The Tuomotus

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Stretched out halfway between the Marquises and the Society Islands the Tuamotos is a natural stop for boats following the trade winds through French Polynesia. It is one of the most remote areas on earth, 77 sparsely populated atolls thrown out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, thousands of miles from the closest continent.   The atolls are their own worlds; 15- 30-mile wide lagoons fringed by coral reefs and coconut islands called motus, ruled by the wind and the sea Half of the atolls have openings from the ocean to the lagoons, making them accessible to vessels.   Standing waves and tides up to 8 knots blast through the passes and it is best to enter at slack tide in good light. The abundance of coral reefs, sudden weather tantrums, strong currents and scant protections has earned the Tuamotus its name: “The dangerous archipelago”. GPS, Satellite-weather, tide-tables and Google Earth have made things easier, but boaters still wreck on the unforgiving corral and get rattled i
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The Marquises

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  The Marquises; Hiva Oa, Fatu Hiva, Nuku Hiva and Ua Pou is the first cluster of islands we encounter arriving in French Polynesia in mid April. The names melt like m n m’s on my pallet, bright and sweet. We are far away from home and the Marquises feels otherworldly. At sunset drums pound from the valley and plumes of smoke drift up from the hills. There is an eerie intensity to the sound travelling across the bay. Something from days gone by. Before sunrise a group of outriggers glide by in the pale morning light. Singing trails their wake, ethereal and foreign. I stick my head out the hatch and as in a dream I see a boat disappear in the mist. We arrive to the island of Fatu Hiva, for Easter and go to 8 a.m. mass, dressed in our rumpled Sunday best. The Chapel is filled with locals and cruisers. Tropical flowers adorn the church and women’s’ hair, splashes of red, yellow, orange and pink. Looking out the open-air windows, the hillside is a jumble of Hibiscus, Bougainvi
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Passage from the Galapagos to French Polynesia

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Our 30000 mile passage from Galapagos to French Polynesia turned in to 22-days of reverie.   The undulating sea and the open sky allowed our sousl roam without constraints.   Our bodies settled in to the rhythm of the sea, staying up for three-hour watches at night, napping during the day, and spending a lot of time looking out over the ever-changing following seas. One day blended seamlessly in to the other like watercolors. The variety, beauty and complexity of waves and their interaction our vessel was spellbinding. Some broke in to white foam, droplets hanging in the air; some lifted us high on their crests propelling us downhill at 9 knots. Some slammed us hard on the side, making the hull shudder and the rigging screech. We learned to live our day-to-day lives holding on, rocking from side to side and in constant motion forward. Simple tasks like dishes, personal hygiene and cooking took mindfulness and planning.   Cooking we stayed strapped in by the stove, the pots
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The Galapagos

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  The Islands of Tortoises is a constellation of 10 volcanic islets.   The area is still erupting and evolving, shifting towards the southwest.     The Galapagos has five inhabited islands but 97% of the land is designated as national park and must be visited with a park ranger.   Three Ocean currents intersect the area around the islands sustaining a rich marine life. Especially he cold Humboldt current affects the climate and the biodiversity. The currents and the environmental protection have created a haven for animals and animal lovers alike. The history of the Galapagos is volatile like its volcanic landscape. Whalers, convicts, pirates and luck seekers inhabited the islands until the 1950’s. Ecuador brought democracy to the islands in the 1970’s. There are few visiting yachts passing through the Galapagos these days, because of the expense and rigorous protocol of, fumigating, bottom cleaning and beauracracy. We jumped through all the hoops   with the help of our ag
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