We’ve spent the past year sailing in French Polynesia. These islands have been our most challenging cruising grounds yet, and we have learned a lot along the way. Here are 5 things to think about if you’re planning to head this way: 

1. Have adequate and reliable ground tackle. 

Many of the anchorages in French Polynesia away from the reefs are deeper than we were used to (~20-25m). So, we upgraded to 320ft of anchor chain and a 1500W windlass, which makes anchoring safely much easier!

Tip: We’ve seen many windlasses fail here. Have a float with your boat name on it ready in case you have to ditch your anchor in an emergency and return to retrieve it.  

Tip: Consider a wireless windlass remote. This is the one we use. Many cruisers float their chain when anchoring amongst the coral. If you have to pull your anchor in an emergency, a wireless remote you can put on a lanyard and wear around your neck while you remove the floats can save you valuable time. 

2. Bring as many provisions as you can. 

Groceries are sparse (unless you plan your shopping around the supply ship schedule) and expensive here— especially alcohol! Bring as much as you can carry. 

Tip: Here are a few things I wish we’d brought more of that I can’t find or are exorbitantly expensive here: canned chicken, canned black beans, canned green chilis, good/spicy jarred salsa, and bourbon/whiskey. 

Tip: The items with red price tags at the grocery stores are subsidized and often cheapest.

3. Plan for parts and repairs.

Even if you bring all the spares and tools you can think of, you’ll probably need something you can’t find here. We were able to use credit card points for round-trip flights from Tahiti to Los Angeles for urgent items and shipped parts to our family’s house to bring when they came to visit. People have mixed experiences shipping parts in. We had one package held at customs for weeks. They decided the contents were not “necessary for our ship’s navigation” and taxed us 100% of the package’s value. The other package was in our hands tax-free 24hrs after it arrived in Tahiti. Both were shipped through DHL. 

Tip: You can submit paperwork for a package to Tahiti Crew, who will “pre-clear” it for you. If you do this, request a copy of the packing slip from the company you ordered from; do not just submit the invoice. If the invoice doesn’t precisely match the packing slip, your package may get delayed at customs. 

4. Be prepared for bugs! 

In the Society Islands, we were swarmed by termites multiple times. Having bug screens on all our hatches and doorways was vital! 

Tip: After heavy rainfall, plan an early dinner and turn off all your lights before sunset. The termites swarm at dusk after rain and are attracted to lights! 

5. Bring reef/water shoes.

Many of the beaches in the Tuamotus are made up of sharp, broken coral— don’t let that keep you from exploring! Bring a pair of reef shoes to protect your feet. 

Want to watch us learn these lessons in real time? 😂 Join our Crew or become a VIP to read our monthly behind-the-scenes reports as we figure out this whole sailing-around-the-world thing.