Kim Diggs I Marshall Islands

Joining my family and some good friends on their journey around the world, for “The Goodwin Project”, recently brought me on a trip to the most remote place I’ve ever been able to experience: The Marshall Islands.

19/Out/2014 - Kim Diggs

The Marshall Islands, officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands is an island country located near the equator in the Pacific Ocean, near Micronesia. Flying in to these forgotten islands felt like we were going to be landing on a tiny sandbar. And we literally did.

Once all 14 of us arrived on the “sand bar” we got settled on the boat, The Windward (one of Martin Daly’s Indies Trader fleet). Our surf travel, boat bonding begun. The next 22 hours was crossing the channel to get to our first stop. We soon discovered the “crossing the channel” only meant all of us had to be in our bunks in the bottom of the boat, getting bounced and thrown around as sea sick as could be. Hard to believe those 22 hours were totally worth it!

This place was beautiful and different than anywhere any of us had experienced. Dead in the middle of the pacific. No one around. Nothing around. For miles and beyond. Truly life in the slow lane! Surfing amazing waves, fishing, diving… and a whole lot of diving off the boat! Meals were mostly fish and rice. We would troll with a fishing line behind the boat. And let me tell you, sometimes dinner would be rice a la carte! It wasn’t all fun and games for all. Photographers Darren Crawford, and Kanoa Zimmerman (alongside the movie’s filmers) were all very hard at work fighting the sun and long hours in the water. Their hard work paid off. The footage is the most beautiful I have ever seen.

After three weeks on the boat, lots reef cuts, peeling sunburns and good stories, we ended our trip with a 25 hour treacherous trip back across that same channel. The airport arrival was all seasick and all smiles.

Truly incredible experience.