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All of a sudden we felt like we were exploring like ships did hundreds of years ago, showing up to these islands in the middle of the ocean. They had no idea we were coming. And we had no idea what to expect. John Florence on the Line Islands

Hosted by The Nature Conservancy, Vela arrives on Palmyra Atoll, designated a global Hope Spot, and part of a marine conservation area that has become ground zero for climate science. What they find is an ecosystem that is thriving in every way. In John's words I've never seen anything like it.

“Line Islands, here we go.” John and crew develop a lifestyle aboard Vela as they cover 1200 miles from Oahu to their first destination, Palmyra Atoll. It’s a week at sea, with no land in sight. They catch their dinners, race boards around the boat, and face the realities of the doldrums.

Between surf events, John has spent the past few years learning to sail smaller sailing craft around the Hawaiian Islands. Looking to go further, he gets together a small crew of friends and begins to prepare Vela for an open ocean voyage larger than any they’ve done before.