We’re in the final stretch of sailing with our flailing steering system. Just 250 miles stand between us and our much awaited steering refit, but we’re unwilling to face a Maramu hurling 14-foot waves on our rudders.

We’re facing the final challenge of our voyage: a 500 nm sail upwind to the Marquesas, our sanctuary from cyclone season. Join us for an epic rollercoaster ride to one of the most beautiful anchorages in the world.

On our upwind journey to the Marquesas for cyclone season we hunkered down in Tikehau, waiting for squally weather to pass. It gave us time to reflect and see these moments for what they are, not interruptions, but life, real and raw.

Cyclone season has begun in French Polynesia and we need to sail 1,000 nm east upwind against the trade winds to get to the safety of the Marquesas.

Sailing flat water lagoons, diving with sharks, admiring beautiful coral, wandering pink sand beaches, eating from the land and sea; our time sailing the Tuamotus has been amazing and these islands are quite possibly our favorite cruising destination yet. But it seems we’ve tempted fate and lingered in paradise a bit too long…

The beauty, freedom and sense of discovery in the Tuamotus is addicting but sailing between atolls and navigating the passes to access the lagoons and their underwater world can be quite tricky.

We’re sailing 175 miles from Raroia to Fakarava in the Tuamotus, which is a bit tricky as we have to plan to traverse each pass at slack tide and navigate around hard to see bommies once inside the lagoon.

We’re sailing 400 miles to the Tuamotus, a group of coral atolls in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, but circumnavigators have stated this was the worst passage of their entire world voyage and unfortunately this trip turns out to top our worst journey list as well…

This week we are sailing back to Hiva Oa, have a little hiccup along the way and upon arrival we realize there’s a reason for the anchorage’s terrible reputation.