WEsail · video

What this video covers

The crew of a cruising sailboat anchors at the remote atoll of Maupiha, French Polynesia, whilst waiting for a favourable weather window to transit the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ). They use OpenCPN to navigate within the atoll to find better protection from the wind.7:04 To prepare for the upcoming 600-to-700-mile passage, the crew performs meal prep and monitors weather patterns to avoid the intense rainfall and convection associated with the SPCZ, which they note is a potential birthplace for cyclones.4:48 During their stay, the crew explores the wreck of the SMS Seeadler, a 245-foot World War I German merchant raider that ran aground on the reef in 1917.16:02 The remains, including boilers and shafts, lie in 15 feet of water outside the pass.18:28 The crew also observes a large colony of sooty terns on the island and practices wing foiling in the protected waters of the atoll.24:46

More from WEsail

13 Knots, Big Seas & Dolphins at Sunset | Sailing Back to Fiji's MainlandAug 2026We Don't Know Where We're Going Next | Leaving Fulaga, Fiji & Sailing SomewhereAug 2026We Ran Out of Gas Saying Goodbye | Our Last Days in Fulaga, FijiJul 2026Nobody Mentioned the Cave of Bones | Three Weeks in Fulaga, FijiJul 2026

From WEsail — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analysed video.

The Sailing Directory Newsletter

One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.