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Sailing Maloya

@sailingmaloya

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A fully electric Sadler 34 with her crew is discovering the world.
Right now she is in the South Pacific slowly going west 🌏

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Almost three months in Fiji 7th July to 28th September 2026

We ate a lot of Indian curry and some more :). So far, Fiji is definitely our favorite country when it comes to food.

And the people! Bula! (Hello!) Even the Captain learned a bit of the local language. We found the people super friendly and felt welcome everywhere.

Unfortunately, the weather was miserable. Apparently, it was one of the rainiest winters since records began. So at some point we escaped to the Yasawas, where the weather in Fiji is usually much better (sunny!). But there are also more tourists and lots of private resorts on the small islands.

While snorkeling, we saw lots of healthy corals, but surprisingly few fish. Maybe we were just in the wrong places.

We also bought our third autopilot since we started sailing in September 2020. Luckily, importing it into Fiji was surprisingly easy. by @sailingmaloya

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4 days ago

Kingdom of Tonga – June 2026
We left American Samoa, sailing south, and headed straight into the full force (yes, I know—winter is relative) of the South Pacific winter. Jackets came out of storage, along with the wetsuits and duvets that had been packed away since our last winter in Porto Santo back in 2022 before crossing the Atlantic.
We hadn’t realized that the famous Barefoot Route, followed by almost every cruiser crossing the South Pacific, is actually quite a chilly one.
Looking back, we probably should have headed north instead of south. Well, there’s always a second chance ;). by @sailingmaloya

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2 months ago

End of May 2026 – American Samoa 🇦🇸

Coming from Penrhyn, American Samoa was on our way to Tonga. We were curious to see another Polynesian culture, this time with an American influence.

We had already seen that Polynesia is not all the same. French Polynesia felt quite different from Penrhyn, and American Samoa was different again.

Before arriving, someone told us American Samoa was full of Gucci and shopping malls. We honestly have no idea where that came from. We found mostly small family businesses, a few larger stores, and many Chinese, Filipino, and Vietnamese-owned shops and restaurants.

What really surprised us were the beautiful sandy beaches and how green everything was. It rained a lot, but that is probably why the island is so lush ;)

We also met a very friendly sailing community and several liveaboards who had somehow ended up staying much longer than planned.

Somewhere between American Samoa and Tonga, we crossed the International Date Line. Leaving Friday, sailing less than 48h and it’s Monday when you arrive.

So, the Kingdom of Tonga is next 🇹🇴

#sadler34 #amsam by @sailingmaloya

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4 months ago

Penrhyn, Northern Cook Islands,
April 2026

We arrived early in the morning in Penrhyn — one of the most remote places we’ve been. Officials came on board for clearance processes almost as soon as the anchor was down.

The island has about 200 inhabitants across two villages. We stayed in Te Tautua, the smaller one, with around 40 people. Life here is simple — government jobs, hat making for Rarotonga, or fishing and trading with family when the supply ship comes every few months. Even fruits like papaya and vegetables like pumpkin are pollinated by hand, as there are no insects on the atoll to do it (wow!!).

So much fish, so many sharks, and incredibly welcoming people — it made leaving after three weeks hard.

Next stop: Pago Pago, American Samoa. From French territory to NZ to the USA… the Pacific feels small even distances are huge.
#sadler34 #tongareva by @sailingmaloya

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5 months ago

November – April 2026 in the Marquesas

A little fotodump from the past months.

December
Visiting the Matavaa Festival in Ua Huka was something special. It takes place every two years on a different island and is about locals keeping their culture and traditions alive.

January & February
We spent most of the time in Nuku Hiva, mainly in Taiohae Bay. Lots of cruisers around, with plenty of hikes and pizza and waiting for parcels.

March & April
We moved down to Tahuata, especially Hanamoenoa Bay. Clear water, lots of sun, and steady trade winds—while other bays stayed in the shade from mountains and clouds. It felt almost like in a film set, with mantas, turtles, and tons of fish.
Also we got some welding done on the arch in Hiva Oa, thanks to the one and only guy in the Marquesas who’ll weld on boats in the water.

From there, we headed west toward Tongareva (Penrhyn) in the northern Cook Islands—an atoll with fewer than 200 people and three churches.
#sadler34 #marquesas by @sailingmaloya

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6 months ago

After five months in the Tuamotus and eight atolls explored, we’re back in the Marquesas for cyclone season.
We’ll miss the crystal-clear waters, but it feels good to see mountains, fruit trees, and goats roaming the rocky hills again.
Last photos of the Tuamotos. by @sailingmaloya

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a year ago

Our first few weeks in the Tuamotus — photo dump 📸
We entered 4 atolls until now, surrounded by palm trees and coconuts in every stage. Crabs, fish, and sharks all around.
I’d never go near a mouse — but swimming with blacktip sharks? No problem.
We learned to float our chain, sail within bommies (coral heads), open coconuts, saw vanilla growing in backyards, crave veggies and fresh fruit… and even started thinking canned pears are pretty délicieuses.
Paradise may not be rich in vitamins — but it’s rich in everything else.

#Tuamotus #SouthPacificSailing #CoconutDays #RemoteParadise #OceanNomads #sadler34 taken in Îles Tuamotu by @sailingmaloya

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a year ago

by @sailingmaloya

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a year ago

After almost two months in the Marquesas, it is time to trade steep hills and overflowing fruit trees for something completely different. We’re so glad we went for the one-year visa for French Polynesia — even though we didn’t think we’d need it at the time. We truly enjoyed the Marquesas and will definitely come back taken in Marquesas Islands by @sailingmaloya

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a year ago

#marquesas #mantaray #likeinanaquarium taken in Tahuata by @sailingmaloya

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a year ago

Panama to French Polynesia – Marquesas, Nuku Hiva

What we expected:
• high, slow rolling waves
• strong supporting current in the trades
• steady, strong-ish tradewinds
• ~35 days and 4000nm

What we got:
• nothing like that
• unsteady, weak-ish trades
• no current, confused waves
• 45 days and 4500nm, mostly without motor support

Some Insta account said fewer people cross (or partly cross) the Pacific than climb Mt. Everest.
And that at some point, you're closer to astronauts than to any human settlement.
Sounds impressive.
So we loaded the boat with impressive amounts of food.

But honestly, our crossing wasn’t as impressive as it may sound.
The masterplan was simple: no wind today? It'll come tomorrow. Eventually.

So yeah, it took too long.
Not exhausting. Not inspiring.
Nothing we want to repeat tomorrow ;)
Grateful to have arrived safely.
Boat and crew well. No urgent issues. No big worries.

And honestly, Everest would’ve been far more demanding than sitting barefoot in the cockpit for hours, watching flying fish and eating chocolate cookies

#pacificcrossing #oceanpassage #slowtravel by @sailingmaloya

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2 years ago

Two years ago, in December, we were sailing to Brazil from Cabo Verde. This year, we crossed the Panama Canal.

At 17:10h, the obligatory canal advisor boarded us, and the adventure began.
The first three locks on the Atlantic side were tackled at night. We spent the night moored in Gatun Lake, tied to a massive buoy alongside another boat. The conditions were rough, with the boats bouncing around.

The next day, we crossed the artificial gatun lake to reach the three locks leading to the Pacific. We maintained a steady 5 knots. The weather wasn’t ideal—cloudy and rainy for most of the day. Our solar panels produced about 1 kW of power, with the rest coming from our battery bank. When we arrived on the Pacific side, our batteries still had 30% charge left. The generator was ready on deck but remained unused. For us, the project electric motor is definitely approved.

We’ve never had more than three people onboard Maloya while sailing. For this trip, we were seven: the two of us, three line handlers, and not just one advisor but two for the second part of the journey. It was definitely crowded and occasionally exhausting.

The advisors don’t stay on the boat during the night—they are swapped out—but the line handlers were with us the whole time. We hired three "professional" line handlers who regularly assist with crossings, while the two other boats in our group had volunteers eager to experience the journey. Thanks to our experienced team, we had a very smooth trip. The stress level on the neighbor's boats was definitely higher, but everyone arrived safe

On the second day, the advisor arrived almost an hour late to pick us up, which meant we reached the first lock an hour behind schedule. Luckily, the lockmaster was generous and waited for us. The two other boats were motoring faster, while we stayed at 5 knots for most of the trip. Toward the end—fearing we might "miss" the lock—we pushed up to 5-6 knots.

We plan to stay here for about two months before heading to the Marquesas. That’s the plan, but as we know, plans and boats are always subject to change. taken in Panama Canal, Panama by @sailingmaloya

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2 years ago