Easter Island (or Rapa Nui) is the most remote inhabited island in the world. Sailing there confirmed it for us. True, we took a detour, sailing north for a few days from Robinson Crusoe Island because a high-pressure system was blocking the direct course. By circumventing this windless area, we hoped to reach the zone where easterly trade winds would blow us westward. Yet for the first few days, light southerly winds barely filled our gennaker. With a daily average of 80 miles our progress was slow, but the calm seas provided comfort on board.
Just when we reached the latitude of the trade winds, the wind abandoned us. Frustrated, we lowered the light-wind sail to avoid damaging it. Drifting, we waited for wind. Our patience was tested for several days, before the reward finally arrived in the form of steady winds propelling us westward. Surrounded by nothing else but different shades of blue, each sign of life attracted our attention. A curious albatross flew around our boat, Lucipara 2. Small, agile birds skimmed the surface to feed. At night, the sky was dark yet so clear we could see the Milky Way all the way to the horizon.
After 18 days and more than 2,100 miles, our anchor finally dropped in front of Easter Island’s main town, Hanga Roa. We were
