12 | Sailing to Fatu Hiva, the Most Beautiful Island in the World

Our wildest cruising dreams have been realized as we sail our wooden Ingrid Ketch to the Bay of Virgins in Fatu Hiva. This spectacular island has to be one of the most beautiful in the entire world. Far off the beaten path, the people of Fatu Hiva live peaceful lives on their garden island. We were welcomed into thier homes, enjoying the local cuisine and even helping to harvest fruit from a jungle farm. We had gentle sailing between islands, vising Tahuata, the smallest inhabited island of the Marquesas, before ending up at Atuona to re-provision. With stunningly beautiful anchorages seperated by short day sails, generous local people, and unspoiled sea life, this will certainly be one of our favorite cruising desitnations anywhere.
Julia is a traditionally built wooden boat. Built in 1960 to Atkin's Ingrid design, she is planked in fir and cedar over oak frames. Our dinghy is skin-on-frame and was designed by Dave Gentry.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sound
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Featured artists:
End of an Era by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen
For What Is Right by Trevor Kowalski
Shipwrecked by At The End of Times, Nothing
Omnia by Helmut
Less Than Endless by At The End of Times, Nothing
Not Blue (Instrumental Version) by Kylie Dailey
Won’t You Stay (Instrumental Version) by The Eastern Plain

[@Davidcallard]

I must thank you for bringing those beautiful islands to my living room where I sit in my wheelchair ♿️ day after day. Your video provided me with a most welcome interlude. BTW, I love your quiet gentle style of video making -.it comes across as genuine and unaffected and a pleasure to watch. May fair winds and calm seas smooth your way!

[@keithdmaust1854]

David, sorry you are confined to a wheelchair. Do you mind sharing what happened that you lost your mobility?

[@Davidcallard]

@@keithdmaust1854 sure, no problem. My handicap is a long and complicated tale, so I'll try to simplify my story by only listing the names of the ailments that bedevil me without embellishment. Here I should give full credit to my amazing life partner of 40 years Michelle who is a nursing specialist and infection control consultant. Michelle officially 'retired' from her career earlier this year after 50 years of nursing to care for my needs. I told her that I would give her 1 year to get used to retirement and that boredom would set in and that she would soon be back at work in some capacity. She lasted three months! Now she is back to work as a consultant for a huge multinational group of çompanies! We are both in our 70's. I had to abandon my career of professional photography when I could no longer walk to on-site assignments carrying my large format cameras and ancillary equipment. All of which brings me to that list of career-ending ailments! 1. Haemophilia A (from birth) 2. Chronic severe lower lumbar back problems causing immobilising pain 3. Severe damage to joints owing to Haemophilia. I have bilateral prosthetic shoulder joints + a recently failèd prosthetic left elbow joint (very painful) 4. Chronic heart disease (two stents) 5. Stroke - without deficits. 6. Bowel cancer (evidently cured) 7. Lymphoma (not cured) 8. Multiple very large skin cancers + one large melanoma. All in remission. 9. Opioid dependency owing to long term use for pain relief. With a rapsheet like mine it's nothing short of miraculous that I have survived to the ripe old age of 73!

[@Sonnell]

🤍

[@patricelanauze8301]

@@keithdmaust1854 There are so many wonderfull videos that we don' t eally need anymore to travel . Planes are destroying the planet . Powerful people ( deciders , politicians , big managers of big companies ) destroy the planet by global warming . example : Exxonmobil accepts thet they knew since 1978 that they create global warming . Read : ABCD , les 4 géants céréaliers tirent des superprofits records de la crise alimentaire . You will learn about Cargill and others how they create famines . It is explained by economy .

[@mattsherman1049]

I am a paraplegic, these videos give me an escape.

[@sebsebleu7581]

This video reminds me a lot of memories when I was there in the late 90s, fortunately this little gem island still untouched and peaceful, thanks for sharing your Polynesian adventure

[@fredericl6190]

Thank you really much to bring us with you on these magnificent islands. What a place on earth!

[@tedrogers7526]

Great adventure 😊

[@stevejensen3471]

Without a doubt, the best presentation of this paradise on YT. Like you all, Fatu Hiva was my vision quest since I was a child and saw a picture of a young native boy on the bow of a dugout looking back at the camera with the incredible backdrop of the dissected volcanic cliffs of Fatu Hiva behind him. Crewing a sailboat for a wealthy benefactor, that quest came true for me decades ago now and I never have nor ever will forget the utterly soul-stirring first vision of Hanavave and the island paradise beyond. There is no other place like it on Earth! Thank you so much for doing it justice!!! Steve/Aberdeen, WA

[@ginnysimonds9670]

So true. One feels like you’re on the boat. Spectacular

[@jeanclaessens2442]

I wread the book off Thor Heyerdael when I was young

[@GM-cq6ez]

@@jeanclaessens2442 He spent 15 months on the island with his wife right before WWII.

[@dennismyersrosario3385]

By far one of the , if not best sailing video I’ve ever seen. A gem 💎 of a video. What a superb channel. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful adventure with us. Many blessings to you both.

[@MadisonBoatworks]

Wow, thank you!

[@Chris.E.]

@Dennis Myers Rosario 100% agree. Beautiful film making and amazing island.

[@georgefuller280]

Just the most stunning video we have seen of these Islands yet, ... with the sailing images, Porpoise images, fruit harvest images, and native Islander images! Thank you very much for sharing this video, and many others with us!

[@robertnixon3816]

Life as it should be lived! What an amazing adventure you're on! Everywhere you turn there is beauty and you do the best job in capturing it. Thank you for taking me along on this journey! Safe passage to the Tuamotus!

[@toddwoods582]

These videos remind me that there are places like this left in the world, free of all the unwelcome and unnecessary intrusions into our everyday lives. Thankyou for sharing.

[@tlw8886]

Not a sailor of the oceans but of the skies for 47 years and I must say how impressed I am with your videography. Fair winds and following seas folks.

[@Queequeg61]

For the record, I’ve been in some terrifying following seas. Fair winds are always good though.

[@captainandthelady]

One of the best sailing videos I've seen in a long time. Thankyou for posting.

[@Anmeteor9663]

Absolutely the very best sailing videos anywhere. Thank you both so much for creating and sharing such great adventure and glorious art.

[@kevinbugden7995]

Thank you for living my dream and sharing yours with us. I’m no longer able to complete a voyage like this due to disability and age. You have let me see what I have missed in such an elegant way.

[@martindellagiacoma]

You manage to transport me to a place that only exists in my mind. Thank you.

[@MrMichaelcurran]

Your exquisite filming of Hatu Hiva and previous islands are better detailed than others I've seen. Truly, your filming a dream, thanks for sharing your film.

[@bowmanlegacies]

Several times I had a lump in my throat. Not sure why. Just the freedom, and the ease by which the two of you carry yourselves in places foreign. Not certain if ever life will afford me such an adventure, but surely, I thank you for sharing yours with all of us. God speed and fair winds.

[@maurenemorgan6512]

My partner and I sailed "Finisterre IV" to the Marquesas in 1983 (en route around the world). Back then, we were the only yacht sailing in the islands for several weeks. It was still the old South Pacific; a totally different world from what sailing videos show now. Your videos bring back visual memories of this incredible place that had become hazy with age. Thank you!

[@patrickhopkins7594]

I never get tired of seeing Julia in her element. Thanks for another great episode!

[@AndrewMoizer]

I have to echo the sentiment of so many other comments, your videos are the best sailing/cruising videos I've found anywhere. Thanks for sharing these amazing places, I am going to have to go back and re-read all the sailing books I read 40+ years ago. I'll be watching this again for sure.

[@chuy86]

Thanks so much for sharing your experience with all of us...beautiful and amazing Islands...!!❤❤❤ it!!

[@joannamadon1254]

You guys are leaving my dream! I used to read all Thor Heyrdhall books from his travels to the Polynesian Islands and I was dreaming of visiting them. Unfortunately, my life took a different direction, but I still managed to visit Tikehaoo island on my 60th birthday! It’s such a beautiful and unspoiled part of the world! I would love to travel there again!

[@Trajectionable]

I have to say, this is some of the very best sailing film online. It's downright emotional at times. And Julia is a heroic ship!

[@HG23456]

Superb editing, , music, scenery, couple and boat 👌🏻💯just all magical and one of the best sailing channels I’ve come accross indeed. A true gem on YT …. Its all so serene and well done that its just beyond imagination. As a Tayana 37 owner I am also hugely impressed by the beauty of your vessel. Overall my biggest compliments for all including your personalities ☺️ authentic boat …..authentic people 🙏

[@chuckdavis6475]

We were left speechless by your wonderful video trip log… we live in Tucson and own a casita in Bahia de Kino and love the Sea of Cortez, but now like you we are “yearning to go south”!! The Marquesas Islands are definitely a life time event and your videos have now sparked that fire for us to follow thru to visit. Would love to to sailboat down but unfortunately we are past that time but not to old to sail thru the skies!! Making our plans now!! Thank you for all the time, effort and sleepless nights you dedicated yourselves to make this exotic gift for all the viewers!! You two are our heroes!! Chuck and Francisca.

[@michaeloliver1038]

Man Fatu Hiva looks amazing. Truly. Also - would love a proper boat tour of Julie / little bit of her history she is not only gorgeous but seems like she might have some interesting stories to tell 🙂

[@Hat6000]

So glad I found your videos. Love the wonderful photography and spectacular scenery and the lovely mood music that accompanies your adventures with us. Thank you.

[@dougsrepair1060]

Such a beautiful place. Your story and video editing are spectacular. How fortunate you are to have visited these islands.

[@carlosthebee3527]

Not just a beautiful lady, but an absolutely beautiful sailing yacht, and great footage & music!! Really love it!

[@brendanh8978]

I don't know a thing about videography, but you two have a gift for it. The Marquesas/ Fatu Hiva have fascinated me for years, and I soak up everything I can about them when I find it. This is some of the best footage I've seen. Absolutely beautiful, serene, and moving. You can understand viscerally from this footage why Thor and Liv Hayerdahl, after poring over maps of the world, decided Fatu Hiva was the best place in earth for their project of getting Back To Nature. I'm not sure how I will do it, but I have to get there some day. Thank you for the taste.

[@GM-cq6ez]

Do not hesitate!

[@SeanOLennon]

Hard to find these days but "Fatu-Hiva" by Thor Heyerdahl is a wonderful book about his time there in the late 30's. Well worth a read.

[@PpP-mo3if]

So beautiful. The only thing I can even fathom similar would be the Nā Pali Coast in Kauai… but no anchorages like those! I wish your family safe and more amazing travels like this. Thank you x infinity for sharing these adventures- it’s beyond immersive for us!

[@robertlee8042]

Boy. That’s an old wet boat. The real McCoy. I’m too old! But I enjoy watching.

[@bfogel10]

Absolutely spectacular! You pull together a genuine sense of adventure and sailing of anyone that I have viewed. Enjoy

[@tim8335]

Great work on putting this together. I enjoy the simple straightforward presentation that is informative, beautiful, and relaxing. Just what I needed. I will be spending a lot of time catching up. Thank you.

[@blknblugrip]

Stunning scenery, friendly hosts, beautiful wooden boat. I enjoy your channel and look forward to every new episode.

[@stratchoker8765]

My favorite sailing channel. Authentic sailing life. Thank you so much. Fair Winds & a Following Sea.

[@symphonyfarm2009]

This is the BEST! - sailing channels are so saturated. This is so GOOD! Please keep up the quality videos and format. We will watch along through the winter in Vermont till we can get our boat in the water and get out there!

[@aung3627]

လင်းပိုင်ငမန်းငါများဒီနေရာလေကျွန်းလေးမှာမသားစုလိုက်ပျော်နေကြတာသဘာဝကြလှပ်သည်ဒီနေရာလေးကိုငါးဖန်းသမားများရှာမတွေပါစေနဲကျွှန်ပေါ်ကသတ္တဝါအပေါင်ဘေးရန်ကင်းပါစေ

[@brendanmurphy5530]

Truly amazing and beautiful video. I am very grateful as i recover in my sick bed.🎉

[@mountaindweller9118]

Thank you for sharing your incredible journey with us!

[@steveadams6010]

You seem to have a perfect sense for the right amount of dialogue, quiet time for us to visualize what is in your videos, and supplement it with some outstanding music! Not only that but you have longer videos which allows your viewers time to really settle in and become part of the video itself. So many others have 5 or 10 minute videos and by the time you get ready to really get into it...it's over. Keep those videos 20 minutes or longer. Truly an outstanding job, thank you.

[@CCarioca]

Lovely to Sail ALL the word with you ..thank's Cabo Frio/Brazil

[@ashutoshavasekar2260]

I was just zooming out on Google maps when I saw this island truly magnificent ❤

[@jth8399]

I love Madison Boatworks for so many reasons. What a sailing channel.

[@majoroldladyakamom6948]

Try Sailing la Vegabonde on yt. 1.8M subs.

[@jamessandman3708]

@@majoroldladyakamom6948 quite different

[@martinjalbert7630]

Thanks for sharing your views and admiration for both nature and people you encounter.

[@tickman165]

Just ran into this channel for the first time today and OMG, these videos feed the soul! I feel many of the popular sailing channels have lost their way to commercial endeavors. These videos are beautiful, soulful, enriching, and the choice of music is perfect. Please keep these journey alive. E pili mau nā pōmaikaʻi me ʻoe. Mahalo

[@MerrittW]

Outstanding, adore all of the art in this vlog even the wooden doors on the church all created by hand the designs of the bread plant rolls stunning, the landscapes heavenly. thank you so much for shooting all this beauty!

[@MiQBohlin]

C'mon folks and give these guys a thumbs up! 👍🏽 After all their efforts making and sharing videos, from remote places, they are worth a 👍🏽 don't ya think?

[@TrudyRank]

Watching your video gave me goosebumps . The beautiful music and scenery..what a good eye. Gorgeous wooden Boat…the best ! Thank you !

[@pkmexplorers]

This year I also made my dream come true and put my foot on Fatu Hiva Arrivingto Marquesas by plane and 3 hours by boat from Hiva Oa it was still specialty me. Walk from Hanavave to Omoa and back. It was 30 km of amazing scenery. I Agree, this must be the most beautiful island in the world

[@richardrumplik7023]

You have a great ability to say what your seeing!

[@anthonygillesse7242]

You are the best sailing KZbin enough to inspire me to get my cutter out for a long cruise on the east coast of North America 🇨🇦

[@robertmcdonald1419]

I needed a getaway, and you guys delivered. I could say a bunch of accolades that everyone else has covered, and you two deserve. Thanks! Great Narration! You two must be very comfortable with each other and it's great to see. Another rum and another video! Love your work!

[@hachimaru295]

There are not enough superlatives for this , so Thank you

[@billroberts9182]

High quality videography! Thank you.

[@martijnvanbeek4387]

Such beautiful islands and a beautiful wooden classic ship! Love these videos guys. Much appreciated;

[@jamessandman3708]

You provide simply breathtaking beauty from Julia to Whitney to the flora and fauna of majestic places all wrapped up in a most peaceful and professional production. When I saw a new video my blood pressure immediately lowered and I went into a peaceful and meditative state as I settled in for what I knew would be another beautiful and hypnotic excursion. Thank You both so very much. 💞⛵⛵⛵

[@jacques3819]

Beautiful,thanks to share. Fair wind.

[@bizzz29]

France is beautiful! Bora Bora is also a very beautiful french island.

[@seanmorrissey3103]

Happily subscribed... I just bought a very similar wooden sailboat (30-ft Hanna Tahiti), and hope someday to cruise internationally with her. Aside from everything else, your videos are providing useful information on how to set up such a boat for off-grid bluewater sailing. Keep on doing what you are doing!!

[@nixl3518]

Your videos of your visits are truly marvelous. They are elemental and provide a bare and honest look at what perhaps you are experiencing yourselves. For me, you create a thirst for more. You leave me with many questions I cannot ask for fear of intruding. I accept the gift that you offer the way it is and I thank you for filling a void in my life I would have preferred to fill the way you have.

[@andrewrichey7374]

I’ll be here watching for the next one, this is just so beautiful wow, well until the next time peace and chicken grease 😁👍👍😎

[@user-retsailor]

I watch many sailing videos by couples seeking adventure and writing another chapter in their lives; your videos are epic. Thank you for the effort, not only with the sailing but with the making of the videos and for sharing. Take care.......

[@MuthuKumar-fo3tp]

The way of filming was masterpiece🎉

[@Ratcliffal]

I know I will never see this in person so Thank you for showing us these beautiful islands. Edit…just binged watched your adventure so far and WOW!!! I’m so amazed at all the beautiful scenery. I even got a little anxious watching the waves hit, and could almost smell the air as you came closer to the Marquesas Islands. Great narration. I hope you have many more adventures in your lovely boat!

[@jbh1983]

My most favorite sailing channel, thank you for sharing your adventures with us. Look foward to seeing you come into NZ 🥰

[@jasperjohns5956]

Lovely videos guys, thank you so much for the beautiful glimpses, and happy sailing!

[@Angie-in8wc]

I’ve been caught up in the “what boat to buy” videos and forgotten the “why do I want a boat” Thanks for reminding me.

[@alanmcclure9546]

Outstanding, I am just a simple Idaho Mountain man,, I have lived in the beautiful wilderness most my life, and this is such paradice. Beauty Extrodinare is our Dear Mother Goddess Earth... Thank You for Sharing Your View of Her to Me.

[@cliveedharris1353]

My words will make the banono trees grow 🌈😄 thank use for being apart of your amazing journey 💯

[@sallyb3]

😊❤🎉wonderful exploring,,adventure sailing on a beautiful wooden ketch with great narrative.

[@ricorichmond8214]

The video log of your adventures truly remarkable! Thank you for sharing such a unforgettable sailing time.

[@davep7849]

Just stunningly beautiful. The islands pretty amazing too 😊

[@hkm_865]

New favorite sailing channel. There’s something lackluster about modern cruising with incredible boats and technology, it takes the adventure and romance out of it. Something you guys have no shortage of. Smaller wooden boat like yours is my goal, back to the basics. I’m 22 and now realizing the sooner the better. You guys are living life to the fullest. Together. Fair winds & following seas

[@MadisonBoatworks]

Yes, the sooner the better! Best of luck on your adventure.

[@WaterTrails]

That was awesome, I can't add more to that, other than inspirational. Photography outstanding. My highest thumbs up!

[@mihovilgattin3074]

Very beautifull nature!!!!! And very beautifull wood sailngboat!!!!! I wish you ,good sea!!!!!!!!

[@trafalgar22a8]

180123 Thank you for this beautiful video. Now you've found heaven on eath..STAY! Comparisons ARE odious. There is no good reason to leave. Both of you are Gods in your new world.

[@telamenais4409]

this video deserves more than 1 million views

[@walkerkermode9575]

So beautiful and peaceful! Your videos really deliver the feeling of being immersed in mother ocean and all that nature offers. Thank you!

[@marilynmurray1712]

Amazing parts of gods beautiful creation blessings for sharing your adventure with all of us protection and glory from God to you all ! 🙏

[@flyship]

Beautiful beyond words.

[@jean-mariebergeal3458]

Speechless. Thank you.

[@Odonanmarg]

One of the most peaceful channels that I watch.

[@bodysurfsooke]

I'm so excited to have stumbled across your channel. There's so many shallow, click-bait sailing channels out there that finding one of such high quality is like finding a gem in a puddle of mud.

[@manfredhuth4937]

Thank you for showing us the beauty of your journey.I am an 80 year old german sailor, who now lives on a small island in Venezuela . I really love to see what you are doing, Love your boat!!🎉

[@thehighpriestess8431]

My mother land!!!

[@Wanderglobe]

Thanks for all the effort you put into making these vids for those of us who aren't underway yet. Love your videography, writing, boat and you guys are alright too.

[@laszlowagner5701]

I complement you for the most rewarding calmness in the presentation of your impressions, never loose the respect for silence in between your sharing the moment! Laszlo

[@michaelbryant2071]

You do something most people only dream about.

[@davidohman9211]

I learned to sail about 40 years ago out of Dana Point Harbor in South Orange County, Calif. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life. On one outing, we were becalmed about 15 miles from the harbor. Then, while sitting at the helm hoping for some wind, a California grey whale passed within 40ft from the transom. It's hard to imagine their size until you get that close. I'm nearly 80 years old now and living in on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, so I've not sailed in many years. But I have the memories. Thank you for reminding me of those wonderful memories.

[@davep7849]

Greetings from the northern channel islands. They are still amazingly beautiful.

[@scottlanesimpson]

Thanks for sharing your amazing sailing to some of them beautiful places on earth. I love your simplicity and the stories of your wandering.

[@tom-qt9ko]

Spectacular so well done you guys should win the award mellow beautiful music not too much dialogue should I go on... God bless and I hope you live a long life..

[@gullitlevia787]

Hello lovely and adventurous couple. We enjoyed your sailing journey. Can you please advise if your trip to Tuomotus is ready for viewing?

[@GloryDaze73]

21:57 ❤❤ My heart would just self combust if I saw a whole pod of dolphins like this!

[@6489532ab]

The hospital is close to the dock, quick attention for knife wounds sustained while fighting over that last can of beans, or last apple.

[@jamesb.funkiii5647]

A great channel, amazing boat, and a truly wonderful couple. Well done. Here are some books you must read; 10,000 leagues over the sea William Albert Robinson,1932 Harcourt Brace/ Seven Seas on a Shoestring,Dwight Long 1938 Harper/ Hurricanes Wake, Ray Kauffman 1940 Macmillan/ In Quest of the Sun Alain Gerbault 1930 Doubleday. All went around the world in boats just like yours. You are clearly following in their wakes!!

[@aung3627]

စီမကုံပဲရွက်လွင်ပီးသင်ဘောကြီးသွားနေတာကိုသဘောကြမီသည်တောတောင်တွေကလှတယ်လေ့လာစရာတွေနဲပြည်နေသောကဘ္မာကြီးကိုအိမ်ကနေပဲလေ့လာကြည်တောမယ်

[@stanparsonstreeinc]

Amazing how god blessed the land , the indigenous Indians are thriving

[@gordonipock9385]

I look forward to each new video. I hope you never stop your voyages and making recording your adventures. When you do stop I will return to the first one and start the journey over again.

[@adilsonmoralezfotografo2529]

Excellent trip & video. I'm not a saylor, but enjoyed travelling with you guys. Congratulations and thanks for sharing this spectacular video.

[@imdawolfman2698]

I'm in love again, I thought I was too jaded to ever feel this again. You, please, carry my spirit. Wherever you go.

[@teamhaas7406]

What an incredible place! We love your videography and music choices. Looking forward to the next episode!!

[@MarcelaR-dh1ok]

The most beautiful island....we'll be the judge of that

[@mathewdavis-adventuresandd6643]

Absolutely a wonderful job on the video. Stunning scenery with some great narration and subtle background music. Something you should be proud of.