Bora Bora Baby! Sailing On Island Time
So many islands, so little time. It’s a sentiment that has been on my mind a lot lately. I study the charts and the distances between our next destinations. Then I zoom out to take in the big picture. The world feels ENORMOUS and the possibilities are endless.
We’re island hopping from Huahine to Bora Bora and then…who knows. To be honest, it blows my mind to even type those words.
Neither of us could have pointed out the Society Islands on a map fifteen years ago and now we’re sailing them. We never dreamed such a life of adventure was possible for people like us (land locked, blue-collar peeps). We didn’t grow up near the sea, nor were we jet setting about the world.
As a kid, Jason’s family would escape to the lake for a weekend or perhaps take a road trip to a neighboring state.
I grew up working in cotton fields, swimming in irrigation ditches (because nobody had a pool) and dreamed of moving to the city one day. Now, I dream of the day I board a rocket ship to outer space (seriously).
I spent a good portion of my life grossly underestimating myself and what was possible. So, as you watch this little slice of our journey, know your possibilities are greater than even you can imagine.
Yep, we’re settling into island time in a major way! We could have easily departed at 4am for Bora Bora. But when that alarm went off at 3am for us to pick up the anchor and set sail…we both looked at each other and said “nah, let’s just sleep in!” Knowing we could take the lazy route between Raiatea and Tahaa was simply too tempting.
I think these are the days that will be seared into our memories forever. Not the action-packed stories we will share around roaring fire, but the ones we’ll reminisce about silently when we’re old, grey and thoroughly worn out. The excitement of a sailing off to a new destination, lazy days at sea and arriving in a dream location that once seemed out of reach. It doesn’t even matter what experiences this place holds for us. We made it here, the anchor has been dropped in the picture-perfect lagoon and all is right in the world. Because we’re in Bora Bora BABY!
🙏 THANK YOU!
Sharing our lives and what we learn along the way is possible because of viewers like you. If you like what you see, there are lots of FREE ways you can show your support. Thank you for being a part of the journey.
RESOURCES & GEAR IN THIS VIDEO
Inflatable Paddle Boards: gonewiththewynns.com/product/fisher-boards-blowfish
⛵Sailing Specific Gear
- Chartplotter: https://amzn.to/2xHqxsV
- Garmin InReach: gonewiththewynns.com/product/inreach-satellite-communication-and-tracking
- iPad Mount at Helm: https://amzn.to/2RWRz95 Using iPad Pro: http://amzn.to/2d9Oopf
- Sailing/Navigation Apps:
- iNavx: http://bit.ly/2vGgC51
- Active Captain: http://bit.ly/active_captain
- Weather, Messaging & Email: gonewiththewynns.com/product/iridium-go-predictwind
- Our Anchor: gonewiththewynns.com/product/mantus-anchor
🎥 OUR CAMERA GEAR 📷
- Sony rx10: https://amzn.to/2QAHxwx
- Sony rx100: gonewiththewynns.com/product/productsony-dsc-rx100m-iii-cyber-shot-digital-still-camera
- Go Pro: https://amzn.to/2ALaz3d
- Drone: https://amzn.to/2VQ2pzi
🎶AWESOME tunes:
- Source: http://bit.ly/artlist-gwtw
- Artists Used in This Video: Giants & Pilgrims, Russo & Weinberg
SAILING REPORT
To see our full map with interactive pins, click here: gonewiththewynns.com/map
Huahine to Bora Bora, French Polynesia
- Nautical Miles Sailed: 58
- Date: November 2018
Darlene
Hi, just started watching your sails, I am hooked and enjoy the videos of you both ! I do love the yellow bird kimono /swim cover up you have on in the Bora Bora /Baby sail.
Is it possibly available to purchase it online somewhere? 🙂
Happy Sails to you both .
Jennifer Matrana
You inspired me and my husband to go to Bora Bora Baby!!!! OH WOW!!! Your videos were right on the money!!! We had the time of our lives and can not wait to go back or somewhere new! Keep Inspiring!!
Chantal Gellermann
I am so impressed with the two of you; how you’ve come so far in just 2 years of sailing. My husband and I are just starting our adventure first with the Bahamas and next season we’re going down the Caribbean. Don’t know where the wind will blow us. Got to ask: what do you do to prevent sunburn? Is there a brand you prefer? I have never seen you sunburned before. I try to prevent it but it still gets to me. Thank you for the inspiration and safe travels.
Curious Minion
Hey Chantal. Sunscreen is a toughie because the brands are never the same from place to place. They get this question a lot, so I’ve saved Nikki’s answer and will paste it here:
We buy various kinds depending on what’s available. Here’s a guide to picking sunscreen that isn’t loaded with harsh chemicals: http://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/ I (Nikki) use Mineralogie makeup and it’s the best sun protection I’ve ever used. http://www.gonewiththewynns.com/product/nikkis-makeup
They also wear longsleeve rashguards (shirts for snorkeling with SPF protection built in) a lot when snorkeling. Hope this helps.
Curious Minion
Mike
Nikki,
What kind of watch is Jason wearing in the beginning of the video? It looks like a digital watch of some kind. Thanks!
Curious Minion
It’s a Garmin Quatix and it’s in the gear store with a link. It interfaces with their Garmin instruments & doubles as a fitness tracker too. If you purchase using the link, Nikki & Jason get a few pennies for the sailing kitty.
Curious Minion
Lisa
I love seeing your weekly chores! Just like the rest of us but you are doing in beautiful places!! I love, love following you too. A fellow Texan too.
Yvan Dion
Very inspiring – as usual. Thanks a million for sharing. I especially loved:
a) your quote at the beginning (“So, as you watch this little slice of our journey, know your possibilities are greater than even you can imagine.”) – if we only believed in ourselves;
b) the connections you made between ‘slowing down our lives’ and the slow video images (sorry, not au fait of the technical video language) – you know, slowing down the wake behind your boat, the raindrops, etc.
Merci pour ces beaux moments.
David Burnett
So many islands, so little time. It’s a sentiment that has been on my mind a lot lately. I study the charts and the distances between our next destinations. Then I zoom out to take in the big picture. The world feels ENORMOUS and the possibilities are endless.
We’re island hopping from Huahine to Bora Bora and then…who knows. To be honest, it blows my mind to even type those words.
Neither of us could have pointed out the Society Islands on a map fifteen years ago and now we’re sailing them. We never dreamed such a life of adventure was possible for people like us (land locked, blue-collar peeps). We didn’t grow up near the sea, nor were we jet setting about the world.
As a kid, Jason’s family would escape to the lake for a weekend or perhaps take a road trip to a neighboring state.
I grew up working in cotton fields, swimming in irrigation ditches (because nobody had a pool) and dreamed of moving to the city one day. Now, I dream of the day I board a rocket ship to outer space (seriously).
I spent a good portion of my life grossly underestimating myself and what was possible. So, as you watch this little slice of our journey, know your possibilities are greater than even you can imagine.
It needs to be written again Nikki – says so much, and I hope, inspires so many. Great, heart-felt prose! Again, you write so well, and from the heart.
Hank Heyns
Jason you married well my friend Nikki rocks the boat
Allan Caravello
Guessing you did not like the link in my comment as I see you deleted it right away? I was not trying to spam your site. Just thought you might like to see what you are inspiring in others who follow in your footsteps.
I did not know you would consider it spam, and thought maybe you would care enough about others whom you are inspiring. Sincerest apologies; we are new and possibly do not know all the etiquettes of the community yet.
Nikki Wynn
Allan, we did not delete your comment nor did we see it as spam. We are always thrilled to see others start their own adventures! When someone comments for the first time and adds a link, it puts in into a moderation tab and we have to go in and approve it. We don’t always have wifi so sometimes it takes a day or two. It’s part of our spam protection and you should make sure you have something similar on your blog too. We use the akismet plugin, its free and has kept us spam/malware free.
Allan Caravello
Hi Nikki,
Thanks so much for the explanation. When I submitted it showed up in the comments initially, but then when I checked back it had disappeared, so I thought it had been deleted. WordPress makes that a little confusing for the person commenting. Our blog has very few comments so far, but I should know this because our blog works the same way for comments. However, WordPress should tell the commenter that their comment was sent to moderation.
I apologize if I came off as a jerk. We truly appreciate all you do, and you two really are a great source of information and inspiration. We often will see your comments on websites such as freecampsites.net (often from several years ago), and it makes us feel like we are on the right path and may someday have this down to a science like you & Jason. Thanks again, and safe travels!
Allan Caravello
Great pics & inspiration. We are doing the RV thing right now, but I wish we had kept our boat and did it that way. You & Jason were one of our biggest inspirations in starting https://www.humblynomadic.com. We are no where near your level, and have only been on the road for a little less than a year, but we always look forward to your content.
Great job as always!
Beth
Your writing really was touching today, or I’m just having a touchy-feely day!?! Thank you for your posts and videos. Always so well done. You’re getting to do something most of us just dream about, so enjoy island time as much as possible! Thanks again!
Alan Solomon Solomon
I am excited for you. Congratulations. Not sure how to email a hug but, you both deserve it. Here it is.. Hug.. Hug..
The water is incredible. The greenery is remarkable. The sky is amazing.
I would suppose everyone visiting Bora Bora looks amazing there. You two are no exception. I can see it in your faces and hear it in your voices.
Enjoy for us, Best…
Laurence
Well, looks like somebody blew up the budget for new swimwear while in Tahiti, maybe more than one somebody me thinks
Nikki Wynn
Ha ha, actually the only thing I have purchased in French Polynesia besides food is a pareo while in Bora Bora (in an upcoming video). The suits have been on board as long as we have (some longer) minus one…and that is the new suit Jason’s mom brought with her when she came to visit.
Chantal Gellermann
I thought you had gotten your new suits in F Polynesia but you answered my question.
Neil Mathieson
Hi Guys love your videos, question for you regarding “Curiosity”, have you replaced the fridge & other maintenance issues? I.E. bottom paint, air conditioning, etc
I like the maintenance videos as they show your sailing life in a true light & provides great insight of life on a Yacht.
Bless ya
Karen Hunter
Really happy to see you achieve your dream of visiting Bora Bora albeit a rainy one. In awe of your amazing array of sunglasses and bikinis Nikki! Hope that Australia is on your journey?
Jeff & Lorrie
I am sure you will be at my favorite beach in the world…Matira Beach. I am sure you are going to Bloody Mary’s. We loved the Rick’s #4. Look up Rick as he was awesome to us. Love you cats, I’d like to see them off the boat with you. Jason, if you don’t buy Nikki a pair of black Tahitian ear rings we will be upset. They let you drill the holes in the pearls too. Let’s see some mingling with the locals. Nikki, you sure are good with those throttles. Have fun and Mauruuru for the great videos!!!!!!!!
Deborah Kerr
Loved the moon shot – the one in the sky lol – and the slo mo rain into the beautiful turquoise sea. 🙂
Where do you sail to after the 1 year visa expires????? Keep smiling 🙂
Sharon Seibert
Wow what an incredible trip you are taking. Just fulfilled my dream of going to Bora Bora and Moorea. Bora Bora water is incredibly beautiful. Had such a good time staying at the Intercontinental hotel over the water bungalow. I hope you have as much fun as we did. Enjoyed watching your video.
Lisa
I so envy the beauty you see each day!
Gerry Brentnall
“Island time” – when I lived in Hawaii we called it “Polynesian Paralysis.”
Doug Zavitz
Just an old fart again but at 80 I still dream of more travel/—doing it through your eyes and love every moment, we have chatted I was a 17 year full timer in our converted MCI 6 with my late wife always told her trying to be normal was the worst struggle of my life🤠
What your doing is the right way to approach life, just recovering from triple bypass open heart surgery and would love to sail away but from these Canadian BC mountains probably won’t happen
Don’t ever stop have fun fun fun there is only one life ( although Willie Nelson says we keep coming back until we get it right) he is also Texan
Barbara Moff
Always wonder the water temperature when you jump in…
Nikki Wynn
86 Fahrenheit!
John Gangl
What about the air temperature?
Bill
We were there in March and what was completely amazing to me was that the water temp was still that warm scuba diving at 95′. Thanks for all that you share!
Nikki Wynn
Right! Water temps here are 86-88 right now…its actually causing the coral to bleach.
Gene's Therapy
That shot of the clouds swirling around the moon above the mountain is breath taking!
Roger B
Poor kitty cats. Depriving them of fresh tuna. Our cat did not think that was very nice.
mary vancompernolle
Seaweed is good for the skin. Maybe not with your sun downer and your evening dip. 😉
Those are some calm waters! I can’t believe the anchor was right under you when you woke. I bet you slept great!
Hope to see you catch some larger fish, it has been awhile. Everyone is hungry!
Nikki Wynn
Ha ha, sadly that was a different kind of not so good sea weed. It’s suffocating all the coral and it is very prickly if you touch it. And yes, keep those fish catching vibes coming. We’re long overdue for a good one. 😉
Cynde
Awesome!!!! Bora Bora
Can’t wait to see
Next week …
Jeffrey Stenberg
Need more island exploring time video,if you have the time. For me i would also be checking on the best snorkeling places, ” become the fish”. Speaking for the kitties, need tuna please ( love your comment on that. Must be nice to run around in minimal clothing. GP Sailing Cat’s in San Fran. Just did 52 mph, but they have under boat wings and fins. Hope the winds will be good for you.
Michael Magill
Good Morning you 2… Another video from Paradise. Never been to Bora Bora and most likely won’t but I get to see it through yours and Jason’s eyes, and that is not bad at all. It seems so quiet and peaceful, seems times just stands still, and you even caught a small fish too. Hope the other videos will show off more of the island. Can’t wait for the next one to come along. Safe travels you two!!
Jose A. Suarez
Nikki and Jason
I’ve been following your journey since the RV days. Love your videos. They are enlightening and informational. Although we’ve been motor boaters for a log time you are responsible for us to also buy an RV. WE spend the winter months in Mexico and summers in southern California. If you are ever in west Pacific side of Mexico contact us. We have a place in Nayarit just north of Puerto Vallarta.
Cheers to you !! keep up the great work.
Jose
Nikki Wynn
We love Nayarit! That whole region of Mexico holds great memories for us. So yes, we will certainly have to come say hello when we make it back! Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Thomas Smith
Thank you very much for all your hard hard work. We do enjoy it so much.