I’m here to stay! NOT running from Cyclones! [ep 186]
December 4, 2025 · 17 min · 122K views · Tahiti
What this video covers
Lauren Landers sails her Beneteau Oceanis 510 in French Polynesia with guest Sylvia, who flew in from Italy ahead of a patron charter planned for the end of the month.0:20 The pair move from a marina to an anchorage near Maria, roughly 20 miles away, after several days of rain, squalls, and poor visibility.0:52 Raising anchor produces a serious chain tangle — caused by letting out extra chain to clean it in shallow water — which Sylvia dives to untangle by hand.2:37 Lauren warns against the technique unless the chain is dived before retrieval.2:46 At anchor near Tahiti, the crew snorkels coral reefs affected by two documented threats: crown-of-thorns starfish, which externally digest coral, and an invasive brown algae, Turbinaria ornata, that has overtaken much of the reef in the area.5:33 The central announcement matching the title: Lauren confirms she will stay in French Polynesia through cyclone season, planning to anchor in the Tuamotus and retreat north to the Marquesas only if conditions require it.7:04 A weather window is needed to move up to Riteiha, with a rotation, headwinds, and thunderstorms complicating timing.14:19
Boats in this video
More from Lauren Landers Sailing
From Lauren Landers Sailing — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analyzed 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.



