Some of our sailstice sailors will be in far flung locations for the Sailstice, like French Polynesia!
This year's sailors in French Polynesia are heading to Fakarava Atoll, a commune of French Polynesia in the archipelago of the Tuamotu Islands. Balan & Alene D. Rice are sailing full time on SV Migration, a red Cross 46 Trimaran! Sounds dreamy. This isn't their first time in the islands in the South Pacific. They spent the 2020 Sailstice on the Sea of Cortez in Mexico, but in 2022 they spent the Sailstice in the Marquesas, near Fatu Hiva, their 'Bonne navigation dans les Iles Marquises.' The Marqeusas Islands are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southern Pacific Ocean.
Back in 2018, we featured this region of the South Pacific as a great destination for cruising. Summer Sailstice really can be wherever you are, so why not aim to be somewhere cool like French Polynesia? "Here are some examples of globe-roaming sailors who have given us their 'best guess' at where they will be on June 23. (And we say 'best guess' as we all know a sailing plan is what you give the folks back home, right before you head off to sea and bury the plan in the bottom of your duffel, along with your work gear.)" Sounds about right! Of course, sometimes we must live vicariously through the sailing stories of others.
Back in 2015, another multihull sailing vessel was celebrated in French Polynesia! Nick Beck and Kavika Knight from Holopuni Canoes tell the tales of salty adventures from the Society Islands, French Polynesia with their sailing canoes crossing all the way from Tahiti to Moorea...it includes tales of sailing canoe regattas and lots of fun in Tahiti.
Those of us stateside may have FOMO, but we love to see the community spreading far and wide in the world. Charles and Julia took the above shot in 2018 for their Summer Sailstice event, saying "We will probably be in Tahiti about that date. Hope to meet up with other sailors and share some yarns about the trip." They sail a 38' Hans Christian monohull, exploring the islands near Papeete. They were in the Philippines in 2019 for the Sailstice, cruising the Phillipines Davao del Sur.
In 2019, Tahiti Morea Sailing Rendez Vous coincided with the Summer Sailstice holiday. It's a 3 day event that celebrates with cruisers who crossed the Pacific! They aim to give a warm Polynesian welcome to sailors and their successful ocean crossing.