Pacific Crossing ITCZ to Hiva Oa

The second half of our Pacific Crossing from San Diego to the Marquesas Islands. First half    • Pacific Crossing from San Diego to the ITCZ   In April 2026 we set out from San Diego in our Lagoon 400 catamaran Seachelle, and sailed non-stop to Atuona on Hiva Oa island. This video covers the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), Equatorial Counter Current, crossing the equator and arriving in Hiva Oa. At first we were surprised by the force and unpredictability of the squalls. However, after a few days we learned how to get along. The equatorial counter current looks scary in the current maps but it was easy compared to the squalls. We tried to pick a narrow spot to cross but the river grew about 30 miles wider while we were in it. We chose to go due south and not let the current push us east. In the worst current our course over ground was 20 degrees less than our heading. Around 3 degrees south we picked up the trade winds again and had great sailing the rest of the way to Hiva Oa. It was so good Seachelle would not slow down and we arrived about 1:00 in the morning. In the dark we anchored behind Motu Anakee for the night. Special thanks to Behan and Jamie at SailingTotem.com for their awesome coaching and weather routing. We could not have made it without them cheering us on. #catamaran #ocean #sailing #sailboat #pacific #crossing #hivaoa #marquesas #frenchpolynesia #itcz #equator #equatorialcountercurrent #lagooncatamaran #lagoon400 #tahauka #atuona #sailingtotem #totemcrew