Garrett’s Adventurevideo
5 Days at Sea (Lightning Close Call)
9 January 2026 · 20 min · 106K views · Somewhere between Fiji and Vanuatu, South Pacific Ocean
Sailor braces as lightning strikes near sailboat at dusk
What this video covers
Garrett sails his newly acquired 40-foot monohull 700 miles from Fiji to Noumea, New Caledonia, with two inexperienced crew members, Nina and Jonathan, on a passage that was originally planned for Vanuatu.Watch The genoa clew ring tore off on day two, taking the headsail out of action for the rest of the trip; Garrett ran the spinnaker instead until squalls made it unworkable, then motor-sailed the final stretch.2:32 The autopilot shear pins failed despite a recent installation, replaced with improvised screws.6:30 Garrett lost his second drone overboard the same way he lost the first.4:21 The route change from Vanuatu to Noumea was driven by slower-than-expected progress and a desire to avoid being stuck through cyclone season.6:16 The most serious event came on the final night: a lightning storm produced strikes Garrett estimates at under 100 metres from the boat, with no delay between flash and blast.13:34 The storm did not appear on satellite forecasts beforehand.13:52 Entering Noumea required timing the pass to avoid a 4-knot outbound current and completing an 8-hour motor to the harbour in daylight.14:05 Genoa clew repair in Noumea cost nearly $500.19:31 Passage planning on an unfamiliar boat with green crew demands conservative routing and extra watch coverage.
More from Garrett’s Adventure
From Garrett’s Adventure — 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.