Category Archives: Snorkeling & Diving

Diving with giants: A peak into Tonga’s underwater wonderland

September 2016 I wiggle my toes into the sand, wedging my feet into the course granules of earth. If I don’t, I’ll topple over! I’m squatting beneath the branches of palms and scrub—spending a penny, if you will. On the evening breeze drifts the harmony of a sun-kissed, booze-primed chorus of sailors somewhere down the […]
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Sea serpents and engine gremlins

August 2016 My fists are clenched tighter than the strands of a monkey fist, as I march upright through the water column like a toy soldier shrink-wrapped in neoprene. I always feel a twinge of nervousness when I dive, and when I’m particularly anxious—like now—I revert to this awkward, inefficient posture that belies the fact […]
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Small atoll, big community

August 2016 Splashing alongside Red Thread’s hull raises my attention, and I pop up to investigate. A most colorful fish swims alongside our boat, a grin spread across its face. “Hi there! I’m Betty-Ann. You can call me B-A, as in bad ass.” “I like her already,” I thought to myself. Every morning, B-A climbed […]
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Mighty claws and pointy teeth: Getting acquainted with Suwarrow’s wildlife

August 2016 Prowling for behemoth crustaceans Torches in hand, half a dozen of us followed Harry and Pae through the palm trees. The moon shone fondly over the sea, but the paths beneath the canopy were a web of shadows and tripping hazards. Neil and I were sharing a flashlight, and I stuck close behind […]
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Mischief rewarded in Maupiti

July 2016 It’s black out, pitch black, aside from a delicate, sparkling necklace strung along Bora Bora’s shoreline and a single incandescent pearl set in the heavens. It’s 1 am, and it’s raining. Behind a duvet of heavy clouds, a sea of stars is obscured, but the full moon refuses be disguised tonight. Ping, ting, […]
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33 years young: Birthday bliss in Bora Bora

July 2016 “Today is my 33rd birthday, and my greatest gift is a wildly good sail with my love. We are absolutely racing between these islands!” -Jessie, logbook, 12 July 2016 We raced across the stretch of water that separates the Taha’a and Raiatea, tickled to fly full sails in 12 knots of breeze beneath […]
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A memorable hike and a failed river navigation in Raiatea

July 2016 Eastbound Sometimes passages are to be settled into, like a long road trip; others are just about getting somewhere, like driving a car across town. This was the latter. We had bypassed several of the Society Islands during our passage from Moorea to Bora Bora during Mark and Helen’s visit, and although we […]
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Is Bora Bora really all it’s cracked up to be?

June/July 2016 Anchor down, dinghy up, sunscreen on, off we go! Arriving midmorning in Bora Bora after our bumpy passage from Moorea meant we had the better part of the day ahead of us. Neil and I were sleepy, but there was no time to waste. Mark and Helen only had three days remaining, and […]
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Maximizing moments in Moorea: Sightseeing and swimming with stingrays

June 2016 No one wants to rush Mark. There’s something fabulous about watching someone have an absolutely fantastic time. Right now, he’s the friend who dances unabashedly, eyes closed, when no one else is on the dance floor. Lost in the moment; hips swaying. Who wants to bust in on that rhythm?! Mark kicks and […]
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VIDEO Ep. 19: French Polynesia~The Gambier Islands

April 2016 After the challenging 12-day sail from Rapa Nui (Easter Island) to the Gambier Islands, we savored our first taste of French Polynesia. The Gambiers are rarely visited by cruisers because they are off the more popular “Coconut Milk Run” route from the Americas, wherein landfall is typically made in the northern island chain […]
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Three sparrows, one family, and a dog with a phantom pregnancy

May 2016 One morning while we sipped our coffee off Rikitea, we watched a small boat sail into the anchorage. Three guys scampered about, setting their anchor and launching their rowing dinghy. French citizens are able to remain in French Polynesia indefinitely, so we assumed the crew were from France and had, at most, sailed […]
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Ep. 15 VIDEO: The Galápagos-Part 3: Isla Isabela

March 2016 On Isla Isabela in the Galápagos, we saw our first tropical penguins and spent more time than we care to recall tackling repairs. We experienced one of the most memorable excursions of our entire trip at Los Tunneles. There, we snorkeled with dozens of giant Galápagos’ sea turtles, sharks, and cownose eagle rays […]
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Ep. 14 VIDEO: The Galápagos-Part 2: Isla Santa Cruz

February 2016 We didn’t expect to adore the Galápagos’ most touristy island, but we did! We explored the town of Puerto Ayora, walked some of the most incredible stretches of beach we’ve ever seen, marveled at the marine iguanas, trekked through a lava tunnel, saw giant tortoises in action (literally and figuratively) in the wild, […]
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Ep. 13 VIDEO: The Galápagos-Part 1: Isla San Cristóbal

February 2016 Check out the little video we created of our first few days in the Galápagos on Isla San Cristóbal, the archipelago’s easternmost island. We attended the Galápagos’ birthday celebration, snorkeled with sea lion pups, and saw our first giant tortoises at the Galapaguera. Read more about our time on the island HERE.

Isla Santa Cruz, Galápagos: Lush highlands & pristine beaches

February 2016 Our 0700 departure from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno was erased when 90 minutes out of the harbor Neil recalled that we had failed to retrieve our propane tank. Damn! We’d been motoring to hard-charge our batteries and make water after five days at anchor, so we made a swift about-face. The sea offered a […]
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