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Broken ribs, storms & reefs: My 2000-mile solo sail to Darwin
July 4, 2026 · 16 min · 36K views · Pacific Ocean
What this video covers
A solo sailor aboard Reikja completes a 2,000-mile passage from Kos Habe (Coral Sea coast) to Darwin, Australia, navigating the Great Barrier Reef, Torres Strait, and open ocean over roughly eight weeks.1:20 The departure from Kosrae is delayed a day because breaking waves block the entrance; the sailor waits for the tide to flood and times a gap between wave sets to exit.Watch In deteriorating conditions — squalls, grey skies, and building seas — the wind generator bracket fails for the third time in two months; diagnosing a faulty rivet orientation, the sailor diverts to a Brisbane suburb for repairs.3:44 Climbing the mast in swell, a foot slips on descent and the sailor cracks a rib on the boom.6:01 An electric rivet gun, bought specifically for the 16 rivets needed, completes the fix.6:01 A near-grounding on a six-metre sandbank outside Brisbane follows.6:28 The reef passage through Black Rock Entrance drops depth from 1,000 metres to 20 in a narrow channel between reefs; tidal current swings boat speed between 1.9 and 11 knots, making the windvane too imprecise and requiring the electric autopilot.10:55 Darwin's six-metre tidal range requires entering through a lock at high water.15:14 A broken rib mid-passage does not stop the repair — the electric rivet gun made it possible.6:01
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