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Cruising in extremely remote locations

5K views 27 replies 19 participants last post by  scouse1 
#1 ·
Hey guys

I'm not looking to do this, but I'm just curious. Are there any ultra-remote islands out there where you could literally drop anchor, not see a single person around, and just live for a long time? It seems like with a watermaker, a fishing pole, and a nice solar array you could be self sufficient for a *very* long time.

Is pretty much every island "spoken for"?

Just curious :)
 
#2 ·
There are plenty of unihabitated remote islands left in the world, but the problem would be finding protection for a cruising sailboat. I'd wager that it would be more difficult to find some good, safe harbors where you won't see another person for a long, long time.

Palmyra Atoll in the Line Islands use to be exactly as you describe above. An occassional cruising boat would stop in, stay for a long time in total privacy and live off the island. However, the famous murders in 1974 changed the island and made it more popular. Today it is owned by the Nature Conservancy and has nearly year-round staff on the island, though cruising boats can still visit with permission.

The world's most remote island (as defined by distance from nearest land) is Bouvet Island in the southern Atlantic and it is definately NOT suitable as a cruising destination.

I've read of cruisers losing themselves for long periods in the Tuamotus and Cook Islands of the South Pacific. For that matter, their are a few islands in Lake Huron's North Channel where I cruised this summer that you could be alone all summer, except for the occasional boat passing by on the horizon.

It's all a matter of how isolated do you want to be.
 
#4 ·
There are a number of protected deserted islands in the south pacific, but you are absolutely not allowed on them because they are nature preserves, and your shoes, clothing, equipment, etc can deposit non-natural FX such as seeds and fungi that may disrupt the environment and the animal/bird life that live there. Thats a good thing.

I would suggest you focus on "civilized" islands that are not as mainstream as say Borabora. There are good remote anchorages and you arent too far away should you need supplies etc.
 
#5 ·
Unless things have changed, Palmyra is off limits as a nature conserve.

You can wiki Uninhabited Islands- which will give you a list. A lot don't have good anchorages unfortunately.
 
#6 ·
Unless things have changed, Palmyra is off limits as a nature conserve.
Up to 2 private vessels at time are allowed to visit Palmyra for up to 7 days, not to exceed 6 vessels per month. Approval is required through the US Fish and Wildlife Service prior to visiting. See here for more details: Visiting - Palmyra National Wildlife Refuge
 
#7 ·
I think there are plenty of remote locations which are not that remote. Only a few days from somewhere if you need assistannce/food etc.

We often were anchored at an island for a week or more before another yacht turned up. (and then you feel crowded) A week is often plenty of time and we would feel like moving on.

We have a high volume watermaker and I would attempt fishing, but I wasnt as succesful at this as before.

I last refueled at the dock in Airlie Beach and havent since. I would need about 50-60 L to top up the tanks. So this way of life can be very economical.
 
#8 ·
I think if you go up north in the summer you can find lots of remote places like this. Look at all the water Canada has!

The down side is that there seems to be an ongoing effort with the UN to take perfectly nice places, and rather large areas, and declare them off limits to humans. I hadn't really realized how serious this is until I recently studied it some more.
 
#11 ·
The Turks and Caicos has a few places where you can anchor for weeks and not see another soul BUT none of the anchorages offer all weather protection so in winter when the cold fronts come through you are hunting for shelter and I would not want to risk a summer season there.

I have been told that there are more fishing boats coming over from the DR and that some of the deserted anchorages now have semi permanent camps on them but if I wanted to get away from it all without heading to Patagonia that is where I would be off to.
 
#16 ·
There are thousands of islands in the Pacific that are uninhabited that you can visit and stay. The catch is there is no fresh water....that is why they are uninhabited.
 
#17 ·
Try Chagos

5°20'S, 71°50'E

Not deserted (controlled by Royal Navy) but definitely remote, reachable only by boat and 350nm from the nearest airport and often there will be only one or less vessels there.

This is about as unspoilt and unvisited as it can get.
 
#19 ·
The Tumatos in eastern Polynesia though watch out for French Atomic bombs!
Anywhere up here in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland-clear blue water and white shell sand beaches.Plus usually an Indian summer in September/October.
Quite easy to find a desert Island to yourselve or for that matter inaccessible bays other than by water along the coast.
Roads hereabouts go to the coast not along it.
 
#22 ·
Alexander Selkirk(Robinson Crusoe) did but in real world for about four years.
He was a captain of a squadron of 3 priviateers funded by King William and led by William Dampier.
Basically the boats were worm ridden and Selkirk had it out with Dampier, so Dampier offered to put him ashore with plenty of powder,shot and basic provisions-the Islands were a regular watering hole for British Priviateers. Selkirk agreed but then had second thoughts but Dampier left him there but as I recall picked him back up on a later voyage.
In the meantime Selkirks boat finally was beached as a write off somewhere near present day San Fransisco and what was left of the crew (recall about a dozen men)which had been decimated by disease took off in either a ships boat or one they had made earlier and certainly under 30 foot(thats what I like about sailors back then)and sailed it across the north Pacific to the Dutch East Indies.
 
#23 ·
I know that...! You think I don't know that..??? :)

The first novel I read (or remembered) when a kid was Robinson Crusoe. Some people even claim it was the first real "modern" novel. Another good read is,
The Man Who Saved Robinson Crusoe: The strange surprising adventures of the original Robinson Crusoe and his most remarkable rescuer. James Poling.


Years back when I planned on sailing the world (water world) it was on my list of must visit places. Isla Alejandro Selkerk.
 
#24 ·
I will have to have a read of that-but you would be suprised that for many people the Robinson Crusoe story gets no further than a sailor called Selkirk.
I have a great book published in 1870 called (Great)Voyages around the World"-it contains facimile copies of Drakes Voyage;William Dampier;Anson; and Cook.
Dampier in particular being my favourite-for those who do not know amongst other things one of the first descriptions of Australian Aborigines; very astute observations that it was polluted water taken from (the Mekong) river that almost killed him on return across Indian Ocean(this was the 1680s)-all be that he thought it was poison that had collected in the river from various poisonous creatures.
Last but not least how when working the west coast of central America as a pirate they captured a Spanish boat carrying cocoa so went off and raided a sugar plantation taking off with the sugar and big kettles(cauldrons) and proceded to make chocolate!(seriously):)
 
#28 ·
Mmmmm Chocolate..:) <Homer>
After leaving school a couple of lifetimes ago I realized that the history they teach just scratches the surface. It's a message for you to go out and seek knowlege for yourself. I still find old books in thrift store of the old sailing days and mentally fill up my tiny brain with usless anecdotes. Like when Cabot "Discovered Canada" in I think 1497. (For the 5th time after the Irish monks, Vikings and anyone else who drifted across the north Atlantic but didn't have a PR man good enough to make them heros.) He found a Basque community that had been working the cod fishing on the banks for years. He still claimed it in the name of the king though.
All good stuff isn't it?
 
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