Join us aboard Sea Dragon for the classic Pacific crossing! We’ll follow the sunset all the way to Hawaii. We’ll have plenty of time to practice downwind sail handling, helming, and even some celestial navigation if you’re keen. It may be a bit chilly for the fi
rst week or so (at least compared to being in Hawaii), but after that it will warm up and we’ll be rollicking downwind wing-on-wing under the sunshine as the trades strengthen.If you’re interested in celestial navigation, this is the best voyage of the season to learn from us or hone your skills – clear skies in the trades and a smooth downwind voyage.We’re looking forward to what should be a spectacular ocean crossing – a perfect opportunity to get away from it all and cross the Pacific!
All meals on board Sea Dragon are delicious and vegetarian, with the addition of fish if we catch any along the way.
This is not a trip for the infirm or physically unfit – you MUST be able to go up and down the companionway and move safely about the boat while in rough conditions, have good balance, and be in reasonably good health. Please contact us with any health questions or if you answer “YES” to any of the questions on our health questionnaire prior to signing up for the trip!
This trip is an RYA Yachtmaster Ocean and IYT MOY Unlimited qualifying voyage – contact us to discuss!
Ardent Training is offering a significant discount on the RYA Day Skipper Theoryonline course to anyone signed up for this trip. If you’re interested in taking the course, let us know when you sign up and we can give you the discount code!
Cost: $4950
Date: Jan 22 – Feb 9, 2023
Start: Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
End: Ko Olina Marina, Oahu, Hawaii
Length: 19 days, 18 nights
Focus: Offshore Passagemaking | Ocean Crossing | Sail Training
Please explore the drop down menus at the bottom of the page for more details about this voyage.
COVID Protocol:
While we can’t guarantee that our protocol will 100% prevent a COVID infection onboard, we are hopeful that with these constraints, it will seriously reduce the risk of the possibility of a serious COVID infection at sea, far from advanced medical care.
Everyone on board the vessel must provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19, including a booster shot if it has been more than 6 months since the final dose of your initial course of vaccination on the date you board the vessel.
14 days before trip: I agree to take maximum precautions to minimize my risk of infection with COVID-19 by following CDC guidelines.
72 Hours Before Boarding: I agree to take a PCR or Rapid Antigen covid test at my own expense. This test must be administered or proctored by a medical professional, and the result must be on official letterhead. If a testing site is available that can provide results in less than 72 hours, I agree to get tested as close to the date and time of boarding as is consistent with receiving results before boarding.
Day of Arrival at boat: We will take your temperature and administer a rapid antigen test to you before you come in close contact with the rest of the crew. With proof of a negative pre-trip test result, a temperature of under 100.4 F, and a negative rapid test on the dock, you will be able to board Sea Dragon. Once everyone is on board, we will fall into the normal routine for trip operations. We’ll become a “bubble” with no masks required on board. You’ll choose your bunk, we’ll have a group dinner on board and go through safety briefings for departure.
In the event that you have a fever over 100.4F, test positive on either the pre-trip test or your pre-boarding rapid test, you will not be allowed aboard the vessel, and we will be happy to transfer your payment to a trip of your choosing at a later date.
THIS TRIP IS FULL. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE PUT ON THE WAITLIST, PLEASE SEND US AN EMAIL at info@panexplore.com.
Sign up Now with only a $500 deposit! It’s non refundable if you back out, but if we cancel or modify the trip we are happy to return your money or apply it to a different voyage. Please review the Crew Contract for full details. The remaining balance will be due November 23.
Call Us: +1 (305) 330-4212 (Pacific Time) – If we don’t answer, please leave a message and we’ll get back to you ASAP.
“I’ve been sailing for 45+ years myself and my most recent Pangaea voyage was the Ensenada – Honolulu trip a couple weeks ago. I also did the Stockholm – England trip with them in 2014. The crew’s professionalism, hospitality, and attention to every detail was well recognized by everyone on board during both of these trips. They are masters at what
they do.”
-Tom B.
Sailing to the Sunset
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Day 1: Arrive at Sea Dragon
You’ll join your professional crew and other guest crew members on Sea Dragon between 1500 and 1700. This evening gives you time to settle into your bunk and unpack and before everyone joins together for our first meal on board. After dinner, your Captain and Mate will take you through essential things to know for life on board. You’ll then have time to get to know the others on board with you or to explore the surrounding area. We’ll spend the night on the dock.
Day 2: Sail Training in Ensenada
Today we’ll spend the day getting to know the boat and practicing safety drills – Man Overboard, Fire, Abandon Ship, as well as learning how to handle all the gear on board. We might pop off the dock for a quick sail, or just get the chance to explore Ensenada a bit more before heading to sea.
Day 3: Clear Customs
After clearing out of Mexican customs and immigration, we’ll do some final training. Depending on weather (and the speed of the customs officers), we may be underway for the ocean this afternoon, or we’ll spend one final night aboard before getting underway.
Day 4: Departure for the Big Blue
We’ll leave the dry hills of Baja behind as we point our bow towards the setting sun.
Day 5 – 17: Offshore Sailing
We all find our rhythm to life at sea, and the days will fade in and out upon big blue. No two days, sunrises, sunsets or watches will be the same. Hopefully, we’ll see some good sea life, including dolphins, whales, albatross and boobies. As we adjust our sails along the way, things that seemed so foreign in the beginning will quickly become second nature, and the miles will fall behind as we continue west.
Day 18: Estimated Arrival in Hawaii
After more than two weeks at sea, we’ll arrive in Oahu into Ko Olina Marina. The green hillsides rise up to the clouds from the sea, and our senses will be re-introduced to the attributes of land. While we wait to get cleared through customs and immigration, we’ll tidy Sea Dragon. After we’re cleared, it will be time for a nice cold beverage, a dip in the sea, and a group dinner on shore to celebrate our arrival! Depending on the weather, we may arrive a few days early, in which case you are welcome to stay aboard Sea Dragon and use her as your base for exploring Hawaii until you depart the boat on Day 19.
Day 19: Departure Day
After a fun night out, it will be time to disembark Sea Dragon at 0900. We’ll all say so long, but not goodbye, and you’ll find yourself free to explore the tropical and volcanic Hawaiian island chain as you wish.
[/expand] [expand title=”What’s Included – Food, Gear, and Costs”]
Contribution Includes:
– Transportation by private shuttle from San Diego to Ensenada – 18 nights accommodation on Sea Dragon – All meals (vegetarian), snacks, and drinks on board – Sailing instruction – Safety equipment and foul weather gear – Mask, snorkel, fins
Contribution does not include: – Transportation to and from San Diego and Oahu – Transportation from the boat – Additional nights spent ashore – Personal expenses while in port
[/expand] [expand title=”Packing List”]
This trip starts cool and ends warm, so we recommend bringing a blend of the two lists below – it can be surprisingly chilly at night in the waters off Ensenada in January.
You will join the boat in Ensenada between 1500-1700 on the first day. You will depart the vessel in Ko Olina at 0900 on the last day. We’ll try to avoid motoring on this voyage, so our actual passage time is dependent on the winds.If we have a fast passage, we could arrive as early as February 6. Our slowest voyage time would be arriving on the 8th to give us enough time to clear customs so you can depart the boat on the 9th as per the itinerary.If we arrive early, you are welcome to stay aboard until the final day, but are by no means required to – take a few days and have a mini Hawaiian vacation!
The closest airports to Ensenada are Tijuana (TIJ) and San Diego (SAN). We will arrange a private shuttle from near San Diego Airport to the marina in Ensenada, which will depart at 1300 – the cost of this shuttle is included in your trip cost. You can also make your own travel arrangements to get to the boat – if you have any questions about travel to and from Ensenada, please drop us a line.
The closest airport to Ko’Olina is Honolulu (HNL) – it’s about a 30-40 minute drive from the marina. There is a public bus, but it’s quite a hike from the marina to the bus stop, so most folks choose to share an Uber or Lyft to get to the airport.
All crew members will require a passport and visas from their home country that will allow them to travel to/from Mexico and the USA. Please note that many nationalities which can enter the US by air on the ESTA visa waiver program need a B1/B2 visa to enter by sea. If you are NOT from the USA, Canada, or Bermuda, you will need to get a B1/B2. Please ensure you have the appropriate paperwork completed before joining the vessel, or you will not be allowed to board. Please look into the specific type of visa you need for arriving at these destinations by sea, or contact us directly to discuss.
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[/expand] [expand title = “Your Crew”]
Captain Holly Vint: I first started sailing when I was 19 on what I had thought was a “once-in-a-lifetime” passage from Plymouth, UK, to La Coruna, Spain, but during this voyage I became totally invested in a life at sea. The trip had been with a British youth sail training organisation and I became a volunteer for that charity throughout university before leaving in 2015, gaining my yachting qualifications and becoming a full-time sailor. During my career I have worked for various charities around the UK, all of which specialise in providing valuable experiences for vulnerable or disadvantaged young people through the medium of sailing. I also instruct adults on adventurous coastal and offshore trips across the Atlantic, from arctic Norway to Cuba and many places in between, with some of the ocean crossings being undertaken by celestial navigation only. I have been lucky enough to work on Sea Dragon a few times throughout my career so far, on eXXpedition voyages researching the prevalence of oceanic plastic pollution from Senegal to Brazil to Guyana, in the Caribbean, and around Britain – and I’m super excited to get back on board once more. I am a Yachtmaster Instructor and hold my Yachtmaster Ocean with commercial endorsement and Proficiency in Medical Care certificates. I have sailed 55,000+nm.
First Mate Tom Newsom: I grew up in Lymington, a town rich in sailing culture, sailing dinghies with my dad.When I was 16, I got my Day Skipper license and did a delivery in Norway, which was stunning.I was awed by the luminescent water, and the deep, quiet, and vast fjords.After that experience, I decided I wanted to make a career out of the sea.After university I worked at a chandlery for a while, and then began sailing with Clipper, doing training for their guests.I’ve recently returned from East Greenland, where we dealt with fog, ice, and gales, and I’m excited to head to warmer weather this winter to pick up some vitamin D. I hold a commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Offshore, and have sailed more than 10,000nm.
There’s a completely different feeling that comes with reaching a place by sea.
No crowded ports. No rushed itineraries. No arriving for a few hours before moving on again.
Just open water, remote coastlines, and the kind of places that still feel genuinely untouched.
These are the corners of the world that cruise ships don’t reach, and honestly, that’s exactly why we love them.
The journey takes longer, the conditions can change quickly, and life on board becomes part of the experience itself. But that’s also what makes it unforgettable.
#Panexplore #RemoteTravel #SailingAdventure #OceanExploration #OffTheGrid #AdventureTravel #LifeAtSea #ExploreMore
1st Iceberg sighting for the crew.
1st time sailing to Greenland.
1st time crossing the legendary Labrador Sea.
Congratulations to y’all!
Very few sailors can claim this 😎
#expedition #sailing #icebergs #oceancrossing
Most people experience the Pacific from 35,000 feet in the air.
But sailing across it changes your relationship with distance completely.
You notice the gradual shifts in weather, the wildlife around you, and the feeling of arriving somewhere slowly instead of instantly. Remote islands feel even more remote when you’ve crossed the ocean to reach them.
It takes longer, of course. But that’s kind of the point.
The Pacific was never meant to be rushed through.
#Panexplore #PacificOcean #OceanCrossing #SailingAdventure #AdventureTravel #RemoteIslands #LifeAtSea #ExploreMore
Ever looked at calm, glassy water and assumed conditions were safe? 🌅
The ocean can appear completely flat while strong tidal currents, offshore winds, and underlying swell are still active beneath the surface. In some areas, wind may blow steadily offshore without creating noticeable waves near the coast, while powerful currents continue moving through otherwise calm-looking water.
For sailors, this is why sea state alone never tells the full story. Conditions are also shaped by tide, underwater terrain, wind direction, and local geography, especially around headlands, channels, and narrow passages.
Experienced crews constantly monitor charts, forecasts, and changing water patterns rather than relying only on what the surface appears to show. Sometimes the calmest-looking water can still demand the most attention.
#Panexplore #SailTheWorld #OffshoreLife #SailingTips #SailingInstagram #SailTrip
📸 Meet your expedition photographer for The Viking Route! Brian Doyle @briandoylephoto has worked with National Geographic, Red Bull, and Canon — and he’s spending 18 days with us crossing the Denmark Strait, Greenland to Iceland, the old Viking way.
⛵️ You’ll stand watch, learn the ropes, and pick up a thing or two about shooting in extraordinary Arctic light along the way.
23 Jul – 9 Aug 2026. Spots are limited.
🔗Link in bio
#photographer #natgeo #expedition #sailing
We’re official 🏁⛵️
Panexplore is proud to be an Official Race Supporter of the 2026 Newport Bermuda Race @bermudarace — 100 years of one of ocean sailing’s greatest blue-water classics 🌊
Next Friday, June 19th — come watch 155 boats launch on a 636-mile Atlantic passage at the Starting Line Festival, Fort Adams, Newport 🧭
🎵 Live music
🍔 Food trucks & bars
📺 Live race commentary
👨👩👧 Kids’ zone & family activities
💥 Cannon signal countdown to the start
Free entry. Free parking. 11am–4pm. 👋
🔗 bermudarace.com @cruisingclubofamerica @royalbermudayc
#NewportBermudaRace #OffshoreRacing #OceanRacing #SailingLife
It’s easy to assume something like this is out of reach.
Too technical, too unfamiliar… maybe even a little intimidating at first.
But that’s usually before you’ve actually tried it.
Because once you’re there, learning step by step and getting more comfortable each day, it starts to feel a lot more possible than you expected.
You stop overthinking it. You trust yourself more.
And by the end of it, you’re not the same person who hesitated at the beginning.
#Panexplore #WomenWhoExplore #SailingAdventure #AdventureTravel #LifeAtSea #TrySomethingNew #ConfidenceJourney #ExploreMore
Welcome to the Crew joining for our next sailing expedition up Newfoundland and across the Labrador Sea to the very icy Nuuk, Greenland 🇬🇱
Skipper Ineke has briefed on passage planning, weather forecast and ice coverage. It’ll be windy, cold and icey! 🥶 proper adventure!
They’ll have to be on a strict iceberg watch 🧊
But next stop: St John’s, Newfoundland!
#panexplore #adventure #highlatitude #icebergs #sailing
📸 @christoffer_moshiri
“Sail through the good days, and on bad days pick a spot of blue sky to steer toward.” ― Richelle E. Goodrich, Making Wishes ⛵
Life offshore has a way of putting things into perspective. Some days bring smooth seas, golden sunsets, and easy miles. Others test your patience, your resilience, and your ability to keep moving forward.
But somewhere between the watches, conversations on deck, and shared moments at sea, you’re reminded that even difficult days pass. Sometimes all you need is a direction to keep steering toward.
Sea Dragon has become that place for many people, a space to disconnect from the noise, reconnect with nature, and return to something simpler for a while.
#Panexplore #SailTheWorld #OceanJourney #OceanAdventures #SailingInstagram #TrySomethingNew
🌊 World Oceans Week with The Explorers Club 🌊
One of the most biodiverse places on Earth.
A 72ft expedition vessel. And a cause worth bidding for.
We’re donating a Galápagos sailing expedition to the @the_explorers_club #WOW2026 auction — because exploration and conservation belong together.
Link in bio to bid.
#WorldOceanWeek #Galapagos #OceanExploration #SailTheWorld ConservationMatters Panexplore
Join NatGeo photographer Brian Doyle aboard SV Sea Dragon for an 18-day Arctic passage from Nuuk, Greenland to Reykjavík, Iceland. Learn to shoot pictures like a professional in extraordinary light, in extraordinary places — while actually crossing an ocean.
July 23 – August 9 · $6,990 · limited avail, HURRY UP!!!
🔗 Link in bio.
@briandoylephoto
#TheVikingRoute #PhotoExpedition #ArcticAdventure #ExpeditionSailing #Panexplore NatGeoPhotographer Greenland Iceland
There’s something powerful about stepping into the unknown, especially when you’re not doing it alone.
In August 2026, an all-female crew will set sail across the North Atlantic, navigating more than 550 nautical miles from Iceland to the Faroe Islands. Delivered in collaboration with Her Planet Earth, this is a demanding, fully immersive offshore passage where participants won’t just be along for the journey, they’ll be actively sailing, standing watch, and adapting to constantly changing conditions.
Participants won’t just cross the ocean. They’ll learn how to navigate it. Step into leadership. Make decisions that matter in real time. And beyond the experience itself, the expedition contributes to a wider mission, supporting women-led environmental initiatives and expanding representation in offshore sailing.
#Panexplore #SailTheWorld #OffShoreLife #SailingInstagram #WomenWhoExplore #TrySomethingNew
