From a violent windstorm in Rangiroa that broke the bottom of our rudder to swimming with manta rays in Tikehau, sharing boat life with our daughter and grandsons, and finally limping into Raiatea with a hose clamp holding our rudder together, the past few weeks have been an unforgettable adventure. Now, as Equus sits high and dry awaiting repairs, Bora Bora is visible in the distance, reminding us exactly why we persevere and why we sail.
There is something magical about arriving at a Tuamotu atoll. For years I had stared at photographs and read stories about these tiny rings of land scattered across the South Pacific. They seemed almost mythical remote, untouched, and impossibly beautiful. Now, after visiting Raroia, Makemo, Fakarava, Toau, and Rangiroa, with Tikehau next on our itinerary…
Cousins, Coconuts, and a Change of Plans We recently took a much-needed vacation to Tahiti to meet up with Dan’s cousin, Dale, and his wife, Cindy, who had traveled all the way from Washington State to see us. Originally, they were going to come sail with us, but with Equus currently without an engine, we…
Life, Loss, and Lessons After an eventful Pacific Ocean crossing, Dan and I finally arrived in the Marquesas Islands, a place sailors dream about for years. Remote, dramatic, and unapologetically wild, the Marquesas sit nearly 900 miles northeast of Tahiti, rising steeply from the Pacific like something carved by myth rather than geology. These islands…