After a good night’s rest on a mooring in Chatham Bay, we had a visit from one of the park rangers to give us an overview of the island’s rules and regulations. His visit turned into more of a tour than an official visit, which we appreciated. All our passports were stamped with the coolest stamp ever, a graphic of a hammerhead shark.
We split into two groups: one went to do a hike up to the ranger station, and one went snorkeling around the bay, switching the groups after lunch.
Hiking up to the ranger station on the zig-zag trail gave us stunning views of the clear waters of Chatham Bay. The pristine forest was something to experience; it seems like it has not been touched for hundreds of years. The trail starts and ends at the mouth of the Lievre River, which has a small waterfall and a pool to cool down in, which was welcomed by all after the long hike. Rock carvings along the river left by ship captains and explorers dating back to the 18th century were very interesting and started many conversations about treasures being left on the island.
The park ranger referred us to two different spots for snorkeling: one at Manuelita Rock, famous for hammerhead and tiger sharks. The second spot was a reef close to Chatham Bay Beach. No hammerhead or tiger sharks were spotted, but many other species were enjoyed during the snorkeling sessions. Lots of sea life around the reefs with great visibility. Everyone enjoyed the snorkeling sessions, even being a bit nervous about the predators this island is known for.
We moved FALKEN to a mooring in Wafer Bay late in the afternoon. Once moored, we enjoyed another evening of good food and conversation.
This was truly a remarkable day in a remarkable place. Cocos Island touched all of our souls today, and will stay with us forever.
// Jakes (Johann Koekemoer)
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First squall of the trip!
"We're gonna get our ass whooped" — not the sunrise greeting anyone had in mind, but Jim called it. The oldest and sharpest hand on board steered them straight through the squall, soaked to the bone and loving every minute of it. He's got a message for his wife, and it turns out she was right about the water.
Sextants, Polynesian Wayfinding, Captain Cook, and Tupaia, Oh My!
Somewhere north of Tahiti and south of Hawaii, aboard a 65-foot rocket of a sailboat loaded with GPS and Starlink, we pulled out a sextant. Not as a novelty—as a navigation tool. Because it turns out the 2,500-mile passage from Tahiti to Hawaii is less a ocean crossing and more a living museum of how humans have always answered the same stubborn question: where am I, and how do I get home? Captain Cook had his chronometers and math; his Polynesian crewmate Tupaia had the stars, the swells, and a map of the Central Pacific stored entirely in his head—and somehow, they were asking the exact same thing.
Star gazing and celebrating
Birthdays at sea hit differently—no cake, no candles, just brownies from a rolling galley and the Milky Way as a backdrop. It's day three aboard, and the skipper's birthday is just one of three to celebrate before landfall. Meanwhile, six crew members sat in silence last night, not from exhaustion or tension, but because the Southern Cross was doing something worth watching.