A three-day sail northeast from the Isles Gambiers took Saecwen into the heart of the Tuamotus archipelago. Comprising over 70 atolls that stretch across 800 miles of the South Pacific, they form the largest chain of coral atolls in the world. Dozens are “closed” to the ocean, with no passable channel through which a deep keeled sailing vessel can enter their inside lagoons. However, many atolls do provide access from the ocean with passes through which a yacht can enter to

Written by Justin Buckland, Heloise's brother who joined Saecwen in Panama on the 13th March and departed from the Gambier islands, French Polynesia on 16th May. I was delighted to be offered a place on Saecwen’s voyage from Panama to French Polynesia: crossing the Panama Canal, on to the Galapagos Islands and then a 3000+ mile Pacific passage. Part of the deal was that I would bring a few items for the boat: in the weeks before leaving the UK I accumulated a bewildering arra

In the Canary Islands Saecwen was joined by two new crew members, Jem and Emily. Celebrating Landfall in Ilha do Sal, Cape Verde after 6 nights at sea Jem, originally from Cowes on the Isle of White, has sailed all his life and as a former bike engineer and now UX consultant is a marvel at fixing things. His persistence for getting to the bottom of pretty much any snag on board is admirable, particularly as this often involves crawling into tight spaces in the 35+ degrees of