Join the Expedition
An around-the-world quest to ride with nature and try to protect it.
Bringing together adventurers, surfers, kiters, freedivers, wingfoilers, scientists & environmental communicators.
01.
The Boat
The expedition vessel is a Lagoon 380 catamaran. She's ocean-going, self-sufficient with solar power, equipped with high-speed satellite internet, and offers the comfort of a floating apartment on the sea.
The Crew & You!
If you join the boat for a few weeks you'll be in the company of Captain Tim and First Mate Mitchelle who have 10+ years of combined cruising experience. You'll be part of a crew who are excited to share life and adventure on the water. Read the FAQ for more about what's involved.
02.
2024
Launch in Greece
Balearic Islands
Sicily + Sardinia
Canary Islands
Cape Verde
2025
Atlantic crossing
Barbados
Antigua
Tobago
May - June Caribbean exploration
A few crew spaces remaining. 1-3 weeks duration
Spectacular sailing and chances to freedive, wingfoil or kite at some of the best spots in the world.
Starting in Martinique from mid-May and finishing in Grenada early/mid-June.
Depending on weather, we'll visit islands en route such as St Lucia and St Vincent & the Grenadines. Chance to be involved in leatherback turtle conservation project in Grenada.
Grenada to Trinidad July
July (2-weeks). Some crew spaces remaining
Chance to join the expedition as we finish our leatherback turtle project, hop between anchorages in southern Grenada, visit waterfalls, snorkel and freedive the reefs, and then sail to Trinidad to explore it's north-west anchorages.
Boat upgrades for upcoming South Pacific exploration
December Trinidad to British Virgin Islands🎅🏼
December (3-weeks). Limited availability
Epic sailing adventure, spanning over 500 nautical miles with possible island stops en route. Finishing in the BVIs for underwater adventures, chances for wingfoil or kite, and if we're lucky scoring some of the best surf in the Caribbean!
2026
British Virgin Islands January - March
✨ Spaces available. Dates and more details to follow ✨
Before making the big jump, taking the Expedition from the Caribbean to the South Pacific, we feel we have to return to the magical British Virgin Islands where we sailed our previous boat some years ago. It's well-known as one of the best sailing areas in the world, but we discovered it to be so much more — offering dreamy locations for wingfoil and kiting, sometimes world class waves, and endless opportunities for freediving the reefs. To make things even better we'll also be hosting various world class coaches in wingfoil and freedive. Stay tuned for more information soon.
April Passage to Panama
(via Bonaire and San Blas islands!)
4-weeks duration. 2 crew spots remaining
This will be one of those special expedition legs we crave — packed with a unique blend of adventure, challenge, and amazing experiences that will impossible to replicate ever again.
We'll start in the protected waters of the British Virgin Islands and set out across 400 nautical miles to the paradise of Bonaire which is home to arguably the best reef freediving in the Caribbean and a kiting mecca.
Then, after moving to Curacao, we'll embark on an epic sail of 500+nm to the incredible San Blas islands.
We'll transit the Panama Canal through to the Pacific side of Panama where we might score some waves if we're lucky.
After this trip we'll have created bonds that last a lifetime and finish up with many stories to tell!
Pacific crossing May
Itinerary details for South Pacific and beyond to follow soon
Tonga
Vanuatu
Papua New Guinea
Indian Ocean
French Polynesia
Fiji
Solomon Islands
Indonesia & SE Asia
Beyond!
Note: When you fill out the application form you can express your interest in a particular leg of the expedition or you can select multiple! If you decide to join the boat we'll coordinate with you to plan where to meet you and when.
03.
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Is it a yacht charter?No, it is not. There is no commercial aspect to the voyage itself. You will be joining as part of the crew and nobody will receive salary for boat-related duties. The yacht is operated privately for pleasure by Captain Tim and First Mate Mitch. **The exception** is in January - March 2026 when we will offer limited commercial charters in the British Virgin Islands.
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Who is the Expedition suited to?“Planet Earth is incredible, and life is short! The Water People Expedition is about seizing the moment — passionately exploring, riding, and protecting the oceans and coastlines of the world.” If that resonates with you then you're a great fit!
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What experience level is required?No sailing experience required. The core crew are capable of sailing the vessel independently but you will be required to share boat duties as part of the team. No surfing/kiting experience is required to join the expedition but doing those activities from the boat will require you to be already competent unless you are accompanied by an instructor. For some legs of the expedition we will give preference to those suited to the activities offered by a particular region. No freedive experience is required.
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What is it like to be a crew member?You can typically expect to be one of 3-6 people onboard. Atmosphere is adventurous and happy. The boat is spacious, clean, and with a mix of shared and private spaces. Sailing is led by the permanent crew, Tim and Mitch, but all crew will be taught the boat and play an active role in journeys. The crew pursues a shared goal of finding moments to ride and flow with the elements. Depending on the location and weather this could be chasing waves for surfing, spots for kiting, reefs to freedive, or we might even a go for a sporty sail. When Mother Nature or the boat say "No" then other activities can include hikes, swims and relaxing on the boat. The Captain's word is final on weather and safety related decisions. Sometimes you'll want to just kick back and chill on the boat... and that's fine! We'll be very much living with the elements and surrounded by nature, and of course we want to protect this place which gives us so much. In each expedition region we'll typically explore a story from the place we visit or the people we meet. We'll be documenting this through various multimedia forms and sharing through our Protect initiative. You can choose to participate in this or to relax on your own speed. During your time aboard the boat it will be our shared home and we'll take care of it together. Things like cooking and cleaning are rotated between all crew. This is 'slow travel' and we discover the places together. Most crew are recommended to stay for about 3 weeks. This allows time to live on the boat, a chance to score some rides, to get your sailing dialled and to get the most out of the experience.
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Should I bring my own gear?Yes. There will be some water toys on the boat but better to bring your own stuff. Boards, wetsuits, kites, harnesses, mask, fins... bring them!
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Is it safe?Captain Tim and First Mate Mitch are experienced ocean sailors and keep the boat well-equipped and well-maintained. Any activity, particularly a sport in the ocean, will carry a risk of injury or worse. The boat is equipped with medicines, first aid equipment, and satellite communications. You must carry insurance for any activities you wish to undertake and have a policy that includes search and rescue as well as repatriation.
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How much does it cost?We share the expenses of running the boat between the people onboard. If you have an idea of how long you would like to join for then send us an email and we can confirm the cost.
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How can I apply?Complete the application form linked at the bottom of the page.
