TOP

SAILING TO EXPLORE AN UNINHABITED PARADISE

I’ve always dreamed about it but never thought we would experience the world as it was for explorers back in the 19th century or earlier.  The Kingdom of Tonga as a society is vastly different but we are currently the only sailors exploring it.  Which might be as close to sailing like it’s 1492 as we ever get, and it blows my mind.

There are a couple of other sailors stuck here too but none with their boats in the water sailing the islands.  It’s just us.

Tonga is one of the few remaining Covid free countries in the world.  It’s one of the unexpected perks of being incredibly remote with limited tourism.  They were able to close their borders and keep the virus out.

But, despite the lack of a virus, along with border closures and no tourists came curfews, defunct airports, fewer ferries, and restrictions on yacht movement.  Add in a continually active cyclone season and it hasn’t been easy for anyone to move about the country.

Restrictions haven’t eased but the cyclone season has and our resolve to endure bureaucracy in the name of exploration is strong.

Tonga has 170 islands spread out over 270,000 square miles of ocean.  Only 36 of them are inhabited.  How could we call ourselves cultivators of curiosity if we don’t seek them out?

We named our boat Curiosity because it is the driving force behind exploration. The great explorers of the past set out across truly uncharted oceans of uncertainty.  We can certainly endure some red tape to follow in their well-worn, digitized, and GPS-marked path.

And so begins our voyage through this Island Kingdom.  First stop, the uninhabited island of Kenutu.

uninhabited island of kenutu with jason and nikki wynn and curiosity in the background

🎥 CAMERA GEAR USED TO FILM THIS VIDEO

🎶 MUSIC IN THIS VIDEO:

  • Artists – Katrina Stone, Michael Shynes, Stanley Gurvich, Rex Banner, Boheme, Ziv Moran

🙏 THANK YOU!

Ups, downs and all arounds, we share it all. We’re able to do so because people like you show up each week, read, watch, comment, share, shop our gear store, and toss a tip in our production jar. If you like what you see, there are lots of ways you can show your support.

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 (34)

  • Raul Mostoslavsky

    amazing video, as always! I don’t recall seeing the video that shows the dolphins you included in the introduction.

    reply
  • Jeffrey Stenberg

    Great dusk photos, so simple and beautiful. And the top of the comments page drone shot of the cove you explored WOW, that would make a great puzzle. Amazing colors. Thanks for sharing your fun and the beauty of our world.

    reply
  • Steve G

    Also, What was the oven that you used? We are looking for a new unit for our 5er.

    reply
    • Curious Minion

      It’s a Breville. You can see it and all the rest of the kitchen gear here: https://www.gonewiththewynns.com/electric-off-grid-kitchen Don’t forget that shopping through the links provided won’t cost you anything extra but it will throw a few pennies into the sailing kitty. Happy shopping!
      Curious Minion

      reply
  • Steve G

    Folks, Backing-up is “backing down” on a ship. Just an FYI

    reply
  • Svmisspearl

    Do you worry about/ or encounter snakes on these remote tropical islands?

    reply
  • Hank Heyns

    Awesome trip…what is the draft on curiosity?

    reply
    • Curious Minion

      4.5 feet but coral heads can rise to within inches of the surface, and can pop up anywhere. So 9′ of water *seems* like a lot, but it’s not.
      Curious Minion

      reply
  • bsheet2

    Hello from Houston, Texas! Your travels are so so awesome! My wife and I retired about 2 years ago and got a Class A RV. We learned a LOT from your RV videos. Thanks you so much! Am absolutely loving your sailing adventures. Stay safe and keeping going!

    reply
  • postiecat

    What a dream come true. To explore those islands with nobody else there. So awesome. Love the stars.

    reply
  • Angela

    Great vid guys, love the time lapse and bloopers. Cook said something similar about the birdsong being deafening when he landed in NZ. Question about your oven (yip, I know you did a kitchen vid a while ago) … do you find the air/space surrounding the oven gets hot? I’m thinking of ripping out the gas oven in my RV and inserting a similar type as you but have concerns about how much heat these units produce. Did you add extra heat protection to the walls and bench above so they don’t get damaged by the heat?

    reply
  • Angie

    Great shots under water. Jason is always happy. Keep up the great videos Nikki.

    reply
  • Sam W

    The reason so many of us love you is your joie de vivre! You’re living a life of beauty and hard work, and you share it all with us. I could never thank you enough for what you have brought into my life. Sometimes I worry about you, until I remember i’m watching the past. Man, all I wanted was some tips on how to manage RV life, and look what you’ve done. Keep it up.

    reply
  • Dan

    Where did you shoot the night lapse from? The dinghy, or was that another boat nearby? Also, when you were threading the needle, was that another boat behind you at 1:18?

    reply
    • Curious Minion

      Looks like it was shot from the beach. And yes, looks like someone in a small boat.
      Curious Minion

      reply
  • Steve Gibbons

    Thanks as always for my Monday morning fix.
    It sets me up for the daily grind at the P.C Enjoy the Islands I wonder if you have NUIE on your list
    Enjoy your week, Were just opening Australia borders AUST /NZ so I’d imagine it wont be long for Cruisers
    C Ya

    reply
  • Richard

    Another great video… The night seen was very stunning… And don’t forget to brush only the teeth you want to keep!! 🙂

    reply
  • Michael Magill

    Hi Jason and Nikki,

    Thank you for the amazing video, loved to see Jason get soaked by a wave, glad you two were not injured or slipped on the rocky shore. Love your drone footage , give us the view from above and to see how you do have to go slow and miss alll the hazards along the way..So many Reefs for such a small area. Hope you have a bottle of Ketchup, need it for your Veggie Pot Pie. Not sure why but I just have Keychup on almost everything dinner items. Ontario is in a
    3rd day of 6 week lockdown, where police can stop you and if your out for no reason you get a $750.00 ticket. Glad your there cause its lousy here . Smooth water, light winds , stay safe both of you , and thank you for letting us tag along!!

    reply
  • Alan Solomon

    Getting back to you a bit earlier today than usual. I took a couple days off and finally have a real weekend to enjoy.
    Great video as usual. I watch a lot of nature videos and this video is right up there with footage of tropical jungle plants, eels, spiders, crabs, crashing waves, sharp rocks, blue, blue ocean and great weather.
    Oh my gosh. I would probably have to sit there awhile taking everything in which would eventually calm my nerves and dissipate my stress from numerous years of city life. I may need a couple days for that!
    Beautiful time lapse Jason. By the way after Nikki says the word “ghosting”, at 19:46 in the video at the bottom of the screen almost in the middle I see a face. It sort of looks like Jason? Did I miss something? Thank you so much.

    reply
  • Richard

    Really cool video. Inspiring to see you guys are getting on with it. We are in Madrid Spain have been here for 4 years and are leaving Saturday to Johannesburg for a passport renewal run 🙂 Happy Days – keep safe guys look forward to the Vid each week!

    reply
  • Michael

    That was a great video! Thank you very much.

    We would like to know the temperature and humidity during your shoots.

    Also wondering why they is no stabilized camera on the mast. Wouldn’t that and/or the drone help you navigate better in the shallows?

    Thanks again.

    reply
  • About Creativity

    Very good.

    reply
  • Andy Windsor

    Thank you, for those of us who do our travelling vicariously through YouTube, those of you who do so because you are genuinely curious and not just “because everyone else goes there” are a real treat. As you have said, it is a real pleasure to see places without overcrowding from casual tourists, and the Islands less travelled too. I was looking back at some of your RV footage this morning, particularly gently smiling at Jason’s experience with plugging a Ty(i)re almost on the Canadian Border and thinking then how far you have come and how calm you are compared to then. Once again thank you for being You, not changing because of others, and being true to your own chosen winding path.

    reply
    • Sam W

      Haha, thumbs up a comment.

      reply
  • Jim Lindsey

    Great video as always! Loved it all but especially the night time lapse. SPECTACULAR!! Thanks for sharing your adventures with us.

    reply
  • Clark Fultz

    Love your videos. I suppose just about everyone of us land lubbers are envious of your lifestyle and wish we had the courage and wanderlust to do those things too. Thank you for sharing so much of your travels.

    reply
  • Charles

    Yesterday, I accidently came accross you intervention on the just catamarans channel, I saw all 3 videos (3h) it was so much fun at a human interacti ng level, so heartwarming to see the friendship you have developed with the Zataras , Kent and the people at the show…. have been binge watching your videos from the transition of the RV to the boat, only to be disapointed of getting to this weeks video and having to wait 7 more dqys to the next one.

    Kind of cruel torture to see you sail, it makes me want to do the same SO BADLY, but my wife would rather a divorce hHabahahaba thanks you for bringing 10 to 20 min of smiles every week to my laptop

    reply
  • Rita Redmon

    Beautifully done. Thanks for making my Sunday morning here n landlocked Asheville NC. That veggie pie looked wonderful. Another native Texan

    reply
  • Mary a jones

    Love your YouTube Video. We live in On CA and are going into our 2nd yr of off & down lockdown. Enjoying your journey has certainly helped to pass the time. Stay safe and enjoy your sailing

    reply

Post a Comment