highs & lows of boat life [ep 205]
4 June 2026 · 18 min · 111K views · Fakarava
Catamaran anchored in turquoise lagoon near tropical island
What this video covers
Life aboard in the Tuamotus centers on two threads: a multi-day tiger shark diving excursion and a completed solar panel upgrade. A local from Moorea whose family has lived in the Tuamotus for generations guides Lauren and crew to a second pass on the island, where they encounter a wall of sharks and spearfish grouper.0:25 Back at the anchorage, the final days with buddy-boat Pinnacle — a 46-ft monohull now listed for sale — end with a difficult goodbye; Lauren describes losing her entire buddy-boating group at once as one of the hardest moments of the season.9:25 The solar installation, done in stages, involved leaving two older panels in Fakarava, hiring a local welder to extend the mounting bracket, and adding panels totaling roughly 2,275 watts across four units (375W, two 550W, and 800W aft).11:04 With the system running, the watermaker, fridge, and freezer draw continuously while still netting 50–70 amps net gain before noon.11:48 A 20-mile sail departs once the hull is scrubbed.17:22 Shore time fills with shelling, surfing, and shell jewelry-making as a deliberate slow-down after a packed stretch.13:46
Boats in this video
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