We Almost Left Tahiti… I’m Glad We Stayed
We were almost ready to leave Tahiti when our friends on SV Palarran pulled into the anchorage—and suddenly, we had a very good reason to stay.
Cruising friendships are unpredictable. You never really know when your paths will cross again, so when the kids’ friends showed up, we changed our plans and stayed a little longer.
With an unexpected extra few days in Tahiti, we rented a car and finally explored beyond Papeete and Marina Taina—visiting Arahurahu Marae, the Grottes de Maraa, the Water Gardens of Vaipahi, giant Tahitian freshwater eels, and Teahupoʻo, the legendary surf village at the End of the Road.
Then it was back to regular boat life: rain, groceries, and a very wet dinghy ride.
But our friends on SV Palarran had one more surprise to share. On their way into Tahiti, they encountered humpback whales just outside the reef—and soon we’ll be heading out to hopefully experience them for ourselves.
⚓ GEAR WE USE ABOARD BIG LOST
Want to know what we actually use while living and cruising full-time aboard our sailboat? We’ve put our camera gear, dive gear, safety equipment, tools, and everyday liveaboard favorites all in one place:
https://www.sailingbiglost.com/gear-we-use
Some of the links on our website are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no additional cost to you. It’s an easy way to support Sailing Big Lost while buying gear we actually use aboard the boat.
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Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Biglost
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Whale footage courtesy of our friends aboard SV Palarran. Thank you for letting us share this incredible encounter!
Thanks for following our family’s journey across the Pacific aboard Big Lost.
#SailingBigLost #Tahiti #sailingfamily
CHAPTERS
00:00 Our plans change in Tahiti
00:25 Friends arrive in the anchorage
00:46 Friends Gather
02:28 Exploring Tahiti by car
03:21 Arahurahu Marae
04:19 Grottes de Maraa
05:19 Water Gardens of Vaipahi
07:25 Tahiti’s giant freshwater eels
07:58 Teahupoʻo – End of the Road
09:32 Back to rainy boat life
11:05 Whale Sighting
XX:XX Humpback whales in Tahiti
Sailing Big Lost
Welcome to Sailing Big Lost ⛵ Follow our family as we leave our old life behind and build a new one at sea. Sailing Big Lost shares the real, unfiltered journey of learning, risking, and growing together aboard our sailing catamaran. From major life decisions and hard lessons to unforgettable places and everyday moments with kids, we show what full-time family cruising actually looks like — the beauty, the chaos, and everything in between. This isn’t just about sailing. It’s about choosing a different life and seeing where it leads. Want to follow along more closely or support the journey? 🌍 Website: https://www.sailingbiglost.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sailingbiglost 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sailingbiglost ❤️ Support the journey on Patreon: https://patreon.com/Biglost ⛵ Family sailing • Life aboard a catamaran • Cruising adventures
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