A journey into the unexpected
- 15 hours ago
- 6 min read
Crew blog from Elisenda Pascual, our dear friend from Catalonia who joined Saecwen from Fakarava in the Tuamotos to Tahiti.
Some stories that start in our dreams, in our imagination, long before we embark on them. This is my story of Saecwen, the majestic vessel that was home for several weeks while discovering the remote Pacific islands. Ever since Charlie and Heloise invited me to join them for a part of their adventure, I felt a deep sense of excitement. I knew something very special was waiting for me on the other side of the world, floating above the Pacific waters, embraced by an amazing wooden yacht. What I had not suspected was that being on such journey, instead of allowing me to disconnect and just contemplate the beauty of the landscapes, would bring me closer to my true self. I could not imagine that in the middle of beautiful islands with pristine blue waters I’d be precipitated into my deepest self.
While exploring the Tuamotus I was uncapable of hiding behind distractions, familiar noise or my beloved working routines. When there’s nowhere to hide the real self emerges; with grace and subtility, or with a colossal explosion like lava breaking through the soil. I discovered that sailing, especially in remote environments, has this special effect on our psyche.
Charlie and Heloise were very patient with me and after a few days on board we found the best job that suited my abilities: to be on the lookout for (damned and dangerous) coral bommies whilst crossing the atolls. These coral formations that stick out of the water inside the lagoons represent a real danger and need to be spotted in good time for the boat to maneuverer and avoid them. Finally, I felt I had an important duty to serve on board Saecwen!
The atolls of French Polynesia are precious jewels in the middle of the Pacific. They are full of marine life, thriving coral reef where numerous species of fish, rays and sharks gather around to keep ecosystems in balance. I had never seen anything quite like this and, arriving by plane to join Saecwen in Fakarava, I remember crying out in bliss for being so lucky to witness such a marvellous part of the world.
Spending time discovering the different atolls in the Tuamotus allowed me to connect and discover the variety of fish and other species under water. I must admit that seeing so many sharks swimming around the boat made me feel more cautious of my dives and swims. I live in the Canary Islands and jumping into the ocean is a daily routine for me, but in the Tuamotus it took more courage to overcome the irrational sense of fear towards the sharks. While snorkelling we witnessed amazing life around the reef and every day there seemed to be an opportunity to discover a new species of fish thanks to the amazing book about the Pacific marine life we had on board.
We also took the opportunity to practice free diving using the anchor buoy attached to the chain as a guide to go deeper and improve our technique. These skills came in handy when on some occasions we had to untangle the chain from one of the bommies. What an amazing feeling diving with only one gasp to fill my lungs! Charlie made me an improvised weight belt which was so helpful to be more comfortable under water.
Those tiny motus have a huge variety of trees: from coconut palms to other species where different types of birds live and nest, creating a picturesque landscape in the middle of a vast ocean and they also provided tiny stretches of land to stretch our legs.
If I had to pick one of the most profound memories over the entire trip, I would choose some of the moments where I was able to be on night watch. We were lucky enough to be doing our passage from Tahanea to Tahiti, moving from the Tuamotus to the Society Islands under the full moon of July. We had clear skies almost all the way and gentle winds that made the crossing a dream.
One of my favourite moments was being on my own, under the moon, with the sound of Saecwen gliding through the Pacific waters. The full moon over my head and hundreds (or thousands) of stars spread all over the black sky. A sense of majesty, spirituality and deepness invaded me and tears of joy and blessing poured down my face. I had to smile when I recalled having doubts about whether a crossing like this would feel scary for me.
Finally we made it to Tahiti and the next part of my journey began. As a surfer (precarious but very passionate) Tahiti is a kind of mecca, hosting ‘Tahiti Pro’ one of the major surf events in the global competition on the powerful wave of Teahupo’oo. Heloise and I hired a taxi-boat to go into the channel to witness the power of this world famous wave just as the competition started. I also got to play groupie with most of my favourite surfers (female and male)!
We also found some more appropriate surfing for our level on the beach breaks along the west and the north of the island. For me, living in Lanzarote means surfing with a wetsuit almost all-year-round, so being able to be in my bikini catching waves in the Pacific felt like bliss. We met Manu, a gentle human with the knowledge of the ocean and the patience of a saint who took us to Orofara, a gentle wave in the north of the island. His presence in the water made for an incredible experience that allowed Heloise and I to be able to catch waves together. If you’ve ever experienced witnessing your bestie sliding down a wave, you will understand the excitement I felt in the water!
I could go on and on sharing how this trip has impacted me in every corner of my heart, mind and soul. This sailing adventure feels more like an inner journey, than a passage on top of the ocean. It has had a huge effect on the way I perceive life and one of the most transformative experiences was the day we swam with humpback whales. As one of my beloved friends says: “you didn’t go to see the whales; they came to see you”. We were lucky enough to encounter one of the “curious” whales who the year before had shown unusual behaviour because they were actively approaching humans.
First we spotted their blow from a distance and waited our turn to jump into the deep blue and swim 100 metres to find them sleeping 15 metres below the surface. We then waited for 20 minutes until they woke up to come to the surface to breathe, and at that point the female made a turn and started swimming towards us. We had to move backwards fast to get out of her way as she was so close. We could see her eye scrutinizing us. Time stopped and they slowly moved away, leaving us floating in mesmerized wonder. It took me a couple of days to really swallow the experience and feel the blessing of this close encounter with one of the large mammals on planet Earth. What a gift!
There were so many special moments along this journey; encounters with sharks, eating fresh barbecued lobsters on a beach on tiny motu, kayaking with rays, sunsets, moonsets, sharing jokes, Scotch whisky, amazing dinners with fine wines, dreams, rocking bunks and full sails….. . But the real glue to them all was the feeling of being welcomed by Charlie and Heloise; the familiarity I felt by being on Saecwen thanks to their hospitality, kindness and generosity. You have changed my life!
As I write these words my body is still rocking with the memories of the ocean, the swell and the wind. A subtle sway that reminds me of the adventures on Saecwen that will stay with me forever. They say having expectations is the easiest way to be disappointed, but I can assure you that the experience of being on Saecwen has gifted me with the most incredible memories I could not even have dreamt of. Fair winds!
What a wonderful and very moving blog fantastic descriptions it brings it all much closer to us left behind in the UK. Thank you for all the trouble you’ve put into writing it.
Much love, great granny Heather