Goodbye Paradise, Hello Blue Lagoon
Saying bye to good times and good people never seems to get any easier. With lumps in our throats and salt water collecting in our eyes, we pull up the anchor and set sail once again.
Aitutaki is our next island destination here in the Cook Islands. It’s known as the “honeymoon island”, “the worlds most beautiful lagoon” and some say it’s “the Bora Bora of the Cook Islands”. All we know is our new friends in Raro told us it’s a must visit.
The Cook Islands have proved to be some of the most challenging anchorages we’ve ever experienced. Rarotonga was an ongoing roll of the dice with the exposed quay and now Aitutaki with it’s skinny (in all aspects) entry, shesh! But hey, now that we’re in, it’s protected and calm…and that alone is worth the effort. But, with that in mind, if your boat has a draft of more than 5 feet …I wouldn’t attempt it.
And speaking of being tempted, how about those giant clams. The lips were like art in motion with their glowing colors pulsing about. I don’t think I have ever seen anything more psychedelic!
The private lagoon tour we took was fun, but it made us realize how spoiled we are. Normally (when allowed to use our dinghy) we’d spend 1 or 2 full days hitting those little islands and snorkel spots. We’d take extra time to capture timelapse of clouds and killer drone footage of the lagoon. But with this half-day tour we felt incredibly rushed and we could have spent a lot more time with those giant clams. We’d arrive to a stop and our guide would say “you have 10 minutes”. We would be hard pressed to recommend such a tour anywhere else but it was the only way we were going to get out on Aitutaki’s Lagoon.
Now that we’ve seen the lagoon we’re stoked to check out the land…just as soon as soon as this massive blow passes through 🤞
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FREEDIVING & SCUBA
- All Dive Gear Info & Reviews Here: gonewiththewynns.com/diving-from-sailboat
🎥 CAMERA GEAR USED IN THIS VIDEO 📷
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LITHIUM BATTERIES, SOLAR, WATER & MORE…
- All Things Off Grid: gonewiththewynns.com/living-off-grid-rv-sailboat
⛵SAILING SPECIFIC GEAR
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- iPad Mount at Helm: https://amzn.to/2RWRz95
- Sailing/Navigation Apps:
- iNavx: http://bit.ly/2vGgC51
- Active Captain: http://bit.ly/active_captain
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🚣 Dinghy & Accessories
- Dinghy: Highfield CL340 / With Yamaha F25 (love our setup!)
- Magnetic Tricolor Light For Night: gonewiththewynns.com/product/lights-torches
- Cool Underwater Light: navisafe.com/project/navilight-glowtube-114/
- Dinghy Anchor: gonewiththewynns.com/product/mantus-anchor
🎶AWESOME tunes:
- Source: http://bit.ly/artlist-gwtw
- Artists – Giants & Pilgrims (intro), Borrtex, Eldar Kedem, Jamie Bathgate, & Red City Hero
⛵ SAILING REPORT
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- Nautical Miles Sailed: 168
- Date: June 2019
Hank Heyns
Awesome as is the norm….you two rock
Mike Dalan
if you were gonna plant yourself in the south pacific somewhere, like in a house, where would you pick based on what and who you’ve seen thus far?
Nikki Wynn
Oh, that is a hard question! Rarotonga if you want lots of local life and just the right amount of civilization.
Jeffrey Stenberg
Love the giant clams, I don’t remember ever seeing anything like them before live or on TV. Cartoon, very funny. I remember seeing that on TV. Thanks, keep living the dream!
Derek T
Love the adventures, and watch pretty regularly. I’m very curious about your free diving. When did you start? How long can you hold your breath, and as a “no free diving experience” beginner, where would you recommend starting? I love scuba, but would also love to be able to hold my breath while snorkeling to follow a turtle, search for a critter, etc.
Curious Minion
Like most any skill it’s just practice, practice, practice. I don’t think they snorkeled often before they bought the boat. So it’s just the more time you spend holding your breath while you’re looking at pretty stuff or cleaning the bottom of the boat, the better you get at it. You can practice clearing your ears by repeatedly blowing up a balloon – true story! I’m sure there are some YouTube videos or websites on freediving that can get you started.
Curious Minion
red-billed tropicbirds
Another Sunday morning eating breakfast and catching up with the Wynns. I tend to agree with Scott Hall Hall’s comment. A little too close for my comfort.
A note on red-billed tropicbirds on land. As you can attest, spending so much time at sea can affect your “land legs”. Imagine for a moment, that the ONLY time you spent on land was to nest and hatch young. Seabirds are amazing creatures who have adapted to a life soaring over the waves and finding food in the massive oceans of our planet.
We may want to understand that their clumsiness on land is due to a life at sea, not a life on land eluding predators. Once you get your sea-legs, time on shore can be challenging.
Love the work you guys are doing.
Stephen
Nikki Wynn
Scott Hall’s assumption is not correct. The birds were nesting all around the kite boarding school/camp. So people are common to these birds. The bird wasn’t acting injured. The legs of a tropicbird are located far back on their body, making walking impossible, so that they can only move on land by pushing themselves forward with their feet. Of course, we didn’t know this in the moment but we do now. They walk the way they do for the same reasons penguins have that cute waddle….its by design. 😉
Dave Humphrey
You two make my Monday mornings soooooooo much enjoyable!!! I look forward getting to work and watching and living vicariously through you two!!! We just got back from the BVI’s. With a crew of 8 bare boating, my crew said it was the best vacation eva…. I told them there’s this young couple I watch every Monday morning and watch them on the same catamaran that we are sailing on now!!!
You now have 7 more followers…. Please keep it going!!! You two are sooo cute!
Nikki Wynn
Awe, thanks for sharing! Happy to hear you were out in the BVI’s and the trip was a success!
Carl
Nikki,
What app are you using while playing Ukulele? I currently use Yousician, but I am looking for something to continue to learn Guitar and Uke without internet once we are cruising.
Great video as usual!
Thanks,
Carl
Nikki Wynn
I don’t use an app (because of the internet thing). I just have a couple of beginner books. There are some great YouTube channels for when you do have internet though. Here is a channel I have found and like:
Ukulele Cheats
Jeanette Brennan
Wow! Scary entrance but well worth all the anxiety! Beautiful blue lagoon – incredible color! Thx for sharing your experiences with us. Incredible clams! Till next time… 💝🌊⛵️🙏
Alan Solomon
Great video. The only part that would have made it better was to see the vibrant purple coral all through the lagoon.
That would have been an unforgettable experience.
I liked the dark clouds an oncoming rain and storm you experienced. I am a big fan of stormy weather.
Thanks,
Theresa
I’d love to see how you handle a rainy day! Your videos are always so good!
Linda Jones
Incredible footage! I love your narration and music and thank you for all your efforts to share a wonderful life.
In my wildlife photography i discovered my most favorite things was to observe nests, watching the babies is such a joy. I hated leaving them esch day! You learn alot by observation…as you well know;)
A few species of birds fake injuries to temp you to follow them, as their preditors go after the weak ones. Keeps them away from the babies. Don’t know if that is true in your island birds observation. Nature teaches us that there is a reason for everything.
I enjoy your episodes and hope to see you on TV some day!
Nikki Wynn
So true! Birds are so fascinating…especially the mating rituals! We have since learned that the legs of a tropicbird are located far back on their body, making walking impossible, so that they can only move on land by pushing themselves forward with their feet. They tend to stick to an area and nest in the same area each year. So almost like their residence. 😉
Roger B
WOW! Those are giant clams and all the other sea creatures (fish) are so interesting to watch. Thank you for this great video.
Deborah Kerr
Beautiful water & islands – worth the headache of getting there!!
Lance Harris
Another trip back in time for me. When I visited the Cook Islands I spent 4 days on Aitutaki. I went SCUBA diving out beyond the reef and the giant clams were even more gigantic. Easily 4 and 5 feet. I could feel the water swooshing out as they closed their shells. Amazing. In the mid-80’s the reefs were a blaze with purples, oranges, red’s and deep down I saw many black stick corals. I was told the black coral take 100 years to grow an foot. Not sure if it is true but it broke my heart to see black coral jewelry when I went to Tahiti.
I spent 4 hours on One Foot island, all by myself. Nobody else was there. Wonderful snorkeling and exploring. A couple that were staying at my resort went to Honeymoon Island and came back covered in sand flea bites. They didn’t have a good time.
There was a golf course on the island created by service men during WWII. It is by the airfield. I think it is Hole 4 that requires you to “give way” to landing and departing aircraft! They come really close and I could have hit them with a 9-iron shot!
There was a also a bakery in town that made THE BEST bread I have ever had.
Thanks again for igniting the memories of my past adventures fueled by your new ones.
I won’t be boring you with my posts again unless to go to Palau, Samoa, Fuji or Guam. You’ve hit most of my Pacific Island tour.
Nikki Wynn
Awe, I love hearing the comparisons from then to now. Its incredible how much we learn over time (black coral necklaces). Now there are Tahitian organizations that plant coral instead of take it. I did read a fair amount about the WWII stationed men and how it affected the island. Incredible how much a military force can change a place and bring in so much infrastructure (like adding a golf course and an airstrip).
John and Sharon
Wow, those clams are an awesome sight!
Larry Stokes
I know its work, but I am spoiled. I want to see a story each day. I miss you guys between episodes.
Anthony D Sexton
Another great video! I always enjoy the views!
Scott Hall Hall
The bird is acting injured to lure you away from the nest. Once the chick leaves the nest is is easy prey for large wing birds that will eat it. NEVER approach a nest as close as Nikki did. Death sentence!!The nest is set back in the brush to keep larger birds out.
Nikki Wynn
The bird was not acting injured to lure us away from the nest. These birds are very used to people. They were nesting all around and right in the middle of the kite boarding camp. That is simply the way they walk. There is lots of info out there on the tropicbird and this red tail tropic bird. We just didn’t know it at that moment. 😉 Here is a little copy and paste info for you: The legs of a tropicbird are located far back on their body, making walking impossible, so that they can only move on land by pushing themselves forward with their feet.
M. Nehlsen
Now I have to wait another week again for your adventure. Hard to do
Jo
Aitutaki’s Lagoon – such glorious aqua coloured waters and brilliant white sands and the cutest little cotton ball with wings. Thanks Nikki and Jason for another beautiful video.
Hunter
The giant clams made a lasting impression on me when I was diving the northern part of the Great Barrier Reef. Such unexpected and awesome colors!
Nikki Wynn
Isn’t it the coolest! I know we didn’t have time to properly capture it in the video but the colors were just amazing. I can’t wait to come across some more of them…especially with a little more time.