This checklist is designed to help streamline the foreign yacht clearance process in New Zealand, based on our firsthand experience in September 2025. 

This guide is designed to help sailors navigate the logistics of cruising in Tonga: from checking in and out, to provisioning, refueling, and more. It’s[…]

It was a whirlwind of discomfort: enduring bone-chilling temperatures at the helm overnight, battling difficult and rapidly changing conditions, and wrestling with the constant underlying[…]

In this post, we detail the timeline and decision-making process we experienced aboard our sailboat in Tonga during the July 2025 tsunami warning… (read

Ray warned me that the boat could get jostled if the whale decided to nudge us, and “I just need you not to fall overboard,[…]

Although it was spectacular to witness, there can be negative environmental implications, like disrupting marine food chains and clogging intakes for cooling systems in… (read

The sea state began to calm down the following morning. As the wind died, we dropped the sails and started our engines. A pod of[…]

As the sun began to rise, I realized one of our lazy jacks had become disconnected and was dangling below the boom. If we needed[…]

This evening’s sunset was partially blocked by thick grey clouds, but it might be the last one of this passage. We have about 100 miles[…]

The sea state got pretty intense last night. When lying down inside, I could feel the vibration as the waves pummeled the boat, punching up[…]