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land ho sailing across the pacific

WE SEE LAND!!! 585 Hours Sailing Across The Pacific Ocean

As I sit here at the salon table of Curiosity, rocking from side to side in the ocean swell, I am seriously contemplating the words “Land Ho”.

Land Ho:  A nautical term shouted by the ship’s watch to inform the crew that land has been spotted.

It’s a simple phrase with a seemingly simple meaning.  But oh, has my admiration for these two words grown.  After 585 life affirming hours at sea, land ho is now a complex, emotional, curious, and electric filled statement.

we see land

If you’ve been following along for the past 23 days of sailing across the Pacific Ocean, it’s possible you’re looking forward to seeing French Polynesia as much as we are…so click the play button!

We made it, and it feels oooh sooo good!  A non-stop Pacific Ocean sail from Salinas, Ecuador to Hiva Oa, French Polynesia.

land ho, sailing across the pacific

hiva oa Marquesas

Humans have been crossing oceans for thousands of years, on much smaller vessels and with far less creature comforts.  We haven’t done anything groundbreaking or new.  The level of adventure today vs the 1600’s isn’t even apples to oranges.  It’s more like oranges to ipads.  But that is the exciting part!

Adventurous souls throughout history have made incredible contributions to the world. Ferdinand Magellan, Neil Armstrong, The Wright Brothers, Jacques Cousteau and the list goes on. These famous explorers have all raised the bar of discovery but have also paved the way for the rest of us.

Adventure has never been more achievable than it is today!

I feel we have just seized an opportunity.  We took the gifts of knowledge, charting, documenting and life risking those before us bestowed, and we created our own adventure.  And while Jason and I aren’t any sort of ocean pioneers, we’re still stoked to have accomplished our biggest sail to date.

I feel satisfied…like a student that just aced a big exam.  LAND HO! WOO-HOO!

a sailing voyage across the pacific

sailing the south pacific

sailing across the pacific ocean

Fun Sea Stats

  • Hours At Sea: 585
  • Days At Sea: A tad over 24
  • Nautical Miles Sailed: 3588
  • Average Speed: 6.14 Nautical Miles Per Hour
  • Best 24 Hours: 182 Nautical Miles
  • Worst 24 Hours: 101 Nautical Miles
  • Hours using a Motor: 42 (or about 7%) That includes windless days, picking up anchor, dropping anchor, sail changes (spinnaker) and the few times we had to repair our flogging boom.
  • Fish Caught:  One Jason sized spearfish that packed our freezer!

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Gear Used In This Video

Hello there! I honestly don’t know what to say, so I am going to tell you a bunch of random facts instead. I'm a fish eating vegetarian who hates spiders and loves snakes. I almost never took vacations growing up. I wanted to be Pippi Longstocking (still do). I misspell about every other word I write and still struggle with grammar. I love splurging on a good high tea (which is really hard to find these days). And whatever you do, don’t tell me I can’t do something, because then I'll HAVE to do it!

Comments (64)

  • norman

    re-watched video 11/7/19. Yea!!!! We arrived on land! Even I was getting seasick!

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  • Kandy

    I love tea too, lately I’ve been ordering tea from Fortnum and Mason out of London. Around Christmas Williams & Sonoma sells some of their teas. We also bought an electric teapot because temperature really does matter. Enjoy your adventures. I love adventures and traveling, but my path is a bit different than yours…

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  • Allan "RocKiteman" Gaines

    Neil Armstrong? I’m STILL waiting for Arthur C. Clarke’s & Stanley Kubrick’s vision of travel to the Moon – 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY – to come true! ?

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  • Anita

    What a great video! Congratulations! I feel your joy so much I had goose bumps. And then had to laugh out loud with the “awkward silence…I Love You Too” moment. You both are whip smart but have a great attitude and sense of humor. Can’t wait to watch your life travels. I’m wondering have you thought about how you would eventually sail back to US? Hawaii to California? I’m certain you don’t think that far ahead. Good for you!

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  • Peggy Buckingham

    Thanks so much for sharing your adventures! My husband and I plan on sailing full time on a Catamaran in a few years. Until then we live vicariously through you! We love your videos. He works 3 weeks on and 3 weeks off right now (building up the cruising kitty) so I wait until he gets home and then we binge watch! Everytime I tell people about our plan they are intrigued and I suggest that they watch your videos. Fair Winds and Following Seas!

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  • Wow! What an accomplishment, and you didn’t kill each other! Congrstulations???

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  • Wow I had goose bumps on this one! I love how you two show so well the mixed and changing emotions that arise when living at sea. From fear and anxiety to boundless joy for dolphins swimming and flowers and the sheer energy of excitement to put your feet on land again. Nice haircut Nikki, tres fancais chic!
    Keep sharing with us and loving each other – what you do is surely not always easy.
    Huge hugs
    Karin and Jasper

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  • Randy and Kim Carlson

    Woohoo, congrats! Love your videos, you are living our dream. Randy and Kim – Winchester Center, CT

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  • Glad you made it ok. I just received an email from Redbox offering a new movie online that I’ll bet you’ll find to be a real knee-slapper, although on second thought, you might want to miss it. “ADRIFT” is based on the true story of two sailors who set out to journey across the ocean from Tahiti to San Diego, and they couldn’t anticipate they would be sailing directly into one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in recorded history. https://www.redbox.com/ondemand-movies/adrift-2018

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  • Sally Crawley

    Did the Happy dance for you…looks like a wonderful place to explore…..How long do you lan on exploring there?. You guys did an amazing run across the wide open blue seas!!

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  • Alan Solomon

    Congratulations on 24 plus days at sea. Amazing commitment. The Dolphins were a fun group. I enjoyed the interaction with the Dolphins and Nature, like I was there. I am looking forward to seeing the cats on land after 25 days. Thanks.
    Enjoy, you all deserve it.

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  • Jan D

    Wooooooooo! So glad you made it safe and sound with not to many problems!

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  • Brenda

    Amazing you two! Thanks for sharing your journey with all of us. Congratulations on your safe navigation.

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  • Linda Browder

    Thank God you made it. I first saw y’all on HGTV the very first RV you bought. I have so enjoyed the sailing. Hope you have better service so we can see more videos. Enjoy your time on land and get some real rest.

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  • Tom Wettlaufer

    Very well done! As with the RV’ing, you two are real-time educators. Thank you.

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  • Sean Balsamello

    Congratulations!! Thanks so much for sharing your journeys!

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  • I have such admiration for you, Nikki and Jason! May you enjoy your much deserved rest and accomplishments. It has been pure joy following your path of exploration for the past 3 years, worrying a few times along the way. 😉 you guys are such an inspiration for all of us! Beautiful job with communication and capturing our hearts with all of your hard efforts, your writings, video and real moments displayed. You are both so talented.

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  • Brenda Jones-Schneeberg

    Congrats on achieving your adventure goals, AND the best part is you brought your home with you!

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  • JOHN SCHRETLEN

    So you have now experienced being too tired to be awake and too excited to sleep. Love the way you solved both: have beer!

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  • Ed Grant

    Well kids, sending you a HUGE Congrats on this accomplishment! Loved watching your site for quite some time now and envy you! What a great team you make and isn’t it swell to actually LIKE your shipmate?

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  • Mary

    So happy that you are on land again! We can all relax for awhile.

    The dolphins were so amazing! There were so many and they were so playful! What a great way to be greeted!

    Enjoy your time!

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  • Deborah Kerr

    Congratulations, you made it!!!! Dolphins, beeyooooootiful land, green all around, flowers, I can’t wait to see more!! Seems like you had some dolphins welcome you somewhere else, but I can’t remember where!! Here are the Wynn’s they say… yay!!!! Keep smiling 🙂

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  • Louise P

    Congratulations! We have really looked forward to and enjoyed your Sunday videos. You have inspired us to start our adventures in January….on land….when my hubs retires. Looking forward to following your adventures.

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  • Roger B

    WOW! What an accomplishment. How are the cats as I missed seeing them in this video? Great drone videos again and no proximity sensor failure. Thank you.

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  • John Hodges

    Please post a video when you clean the bottom on the boat.

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  • William L Stitt

    That was a great trip. It was wonderful to watch the progress. Thank you

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  • Alexander Nansen

    After watching this video, it pains me to see you folks still go forward on the deck without wearing any safety gear. If one of you goes over the side it’s all over, with the ocean swells your head wouldn’t be visible. Be smart wear at least a pair of suspenders to keep you afloat.
    Also sock your spinnaker at night, if the wind comes up or changes direction at night that’s not the time to be going out on the deck to mess with the sails.

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    • Bob Sprengel

      Alex… Don’t waste your time with warnings. They’re young and invincible.

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      • Bob Sprengel

        On second thought, you could challenge Nikki her on her statement… “And whatever you do, don’t tell me I can’t do something, because then I’ll HAVE to do it!”

        You might say, “I don’t believe, that for safety’s sake, you’d always wear safety gear while on deck.”

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  • Ronald Regan

    Hi Nikki and Jason
    I am sure by now you have repaired the port engine starting problem but if not here is a hint. It’s not a bad starter.
    There is a solenoid switch “relay” between the starter motor and the button on your captains console. Kent was right by his instructions obviously, he bypassed the solenoid. That’s what is bad and is alot cheaper to replace than the entire starter. That is if and this is a BIG IF the two parts are actually separate of each other. If not, then replacing the entire starter is required. Just want to help, that’s my nature, not trying to be a know it all. I do have a mechanical/electrical background. Regardless, Love watching your adventures, happy sailing!

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  • Ward

    WOOHOO!!! Congrats on a huge accomplishment! Very happy for you and thanks for sharing this fantastic video!

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  • Well it’s about time you got there ,( just kidding ) I too was thrilled when you spotted land . This is really something I’ve camped with you and sailed with and I have enjoyed every minute of it .?

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  • Pat Parker

    Congratulations to you both and your excitement is contagious. She evens cuts her hair while sailing across the Pacific Ocean…what can you not do Nikki….LOL. Glad you landed safely and hope you enjoy your new land adventures

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  • Linda Stansbury

    I’ve been following ya’ll since you were shopping for your first RV and before you left Texas. What a phenomenal adventure you’re having! There aren’t many of us who can say we’re living life our way but you two sure are. I admire your fearlessness and adventurous spirit as well as the intelligence and careful planning it took to choreograph all of this. You two are an incredible team. I can’t wait to read what’s next for ya’ll. Thank you so much for your gear reviews. It’s helped me tremendously in deciding what camera to buy.

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  • T C Spencer

    What was the Pacific Ocean Crossing departure and arrival dates? Thanks!

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  • Ev & Judi Howard

    Judi and I are so very proud of the two of you and your fortitude to make it happen!!! We continue to live vicariously through your experiences!!

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  • Lynda

    You 2 are simply ahhhhmazing! I could feel your excitement in seeing land and enjoying your welcoming committee of dolphins 4,100 mi away on the west coast. Congratulations on a safe passage and enjoy FP!

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  • Scott

    Sea legs ashore? Seemed fine.

    Dolphins were amazing harbingers indeed.

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  • Donna and brad

    So glad you finally made it!
    You maintained your spirits and sanity – I’m impressed! You are so adventurous and positive! Sending love and support for you always. We are rv ers and have done 1/2 the US and Canada and Alaska and y’all inspired
    us! Sail on! ⛵️

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  • NANCY KERRY

    How could I be so proud of people I don’t know ? I don’t know !! I’m so happy for you, been following you for years, was worried for you and so happy … you have so much to share with others for the rest of your lives about setting goals, setting your sights on a plan, implementing it, facing fears and plowing through. Congratulations!! Enjoy walking on land : ) I’m sure you do!

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  • Keith M. Vauquelin

    Simply awesome!!! I am very happy for, proud of, both of you!!

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  • Jack Klott

    I’ve been following you guys since I first saw you on HGTVs RV show extravaganza, and this is HANDS DOWN the best thing I’ve ever seen. Unbelievable achievement by a great team! You both deserve some down time and time to do some exploring. Well done!

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  • Jan

    Bonjour!
    Have fun and congratulations!

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  • Edward Hamilton

    I’ve followed you guys from the RV to Sailing, what a journey! Thank you for sharing your adventure.

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  • Joan Paucek

    Your joy is contagious! Great job you guys!

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  • Paul Brannon

    Congratulations on a successful passage. Really enjoying your travels. Have fun

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  • Jenna

    I think you both are amazing, such an adventure, and you just seem to blend so well together…
    How long are you staying, and what’s next on your very interesting sail around the world!!!

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  • Dennis

    You beautifully capture the excitement of entering a new country. Makes me want to jump on an airplane.

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  • Brian

    CONGRATULATIONS……….even though you’ve been there for some time now LOL. I can’t imagine being at sea for 24 plus days. I detected a little stress from time to time. So I have to ask, spending such a long time at sea, with no one but your spouse, what impact did it have on your relationship? How long do you expect to be in French Polynesia? Do yo know where you’ll be heading when you leave there? Again, Congratulations, great job, love following your adventures. Thank you so much for sharing them.

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  • Tev

    Wow! The dolphin were fantastic and I was smiling and feeling excited like I was right there. What did it feel like the moment your feet touched land for the first time in 25 days!? So very thrilling to get to share this adventure through your eyes and thoughts. Thank you for that. I’m greedy though and wanted another video right away. 🙂 Looking forward to next week and the week after etc.

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  • Dennis

    Congratulations!!! A passage well sailed and great achievement. Enjoy the islands !!

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  • Were you publishing your videos while at sea? If so how were you doing that?

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    • Curious Minion

      Hi Hugh. They can’t post videos over the satellite system. Their videos are always a few weeks behind “real time”.
      Curious Minion

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  • Dennis C

    I’d look to see drones shots of the dolphins. Or whales.

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