Chagos: Paradise With a Story to Tell | S5 E09

This episode, we explore one of the most remote and restricted places on Earth: Chagos. Located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the Chagos Archipelago is a chain of coral atolls few people will ever visit. With no towns, no resorts, and no permanent residents, these islands feel almost untouched — both above and below the surface. After securing a permit and sailing days across open ocean, we dropped anchor inside Salomon Atoll. What we found was extraordinary. Crystal-clear lagoons, thriving coral reefs, and an abundance of marine life unlike anything we’ve seen before. Even the Chagos clownfish, found nowhere else on Earth, thrives here within one of the largest marine protected areas in the Indian Ocean. But Chagos is more than just a remote paradise. For generations, the Chagossian people lived on these islands, building communities around the coconut plantations and surrounding reefs. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, they were forced to leave their homeland. Today, the islands remain largely uninhabited — quiet, beautiful, and layered with history. In this episode, we search for unridden waves, explore abandoned settlements, dive some of the healthiest reefs in the world, and reflect on what it means to visit a place like this as a sailing family. This is Chagos — a paradise with a past. 🌊 Join Our Sailing Family Adventure! We’re the Fothergills – a family of six living full-time aboard our catamaran, Happy Days. From tropical islands to remote anchorages, we’re documenting our journey around the world to inspire and encourage others to pursue their own adventure. 🧭 Want to Support the Journey? Join us on Patreon for early video access, uncut updates, behind-the-scenes moments, and exclusive Zoom meetups with the crew: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/sailingwithsix 🛍️ Grab Some Sailing with Six Merch Check out our official store for tees, stickers, and gear that supports our voyage: 👉 https://sailingwithsix.store/ 📸 Follow Our Daily Adventures Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sailingwithsix Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sailingwithsix Website & Blog: https://www.sailingwithsix.com 📬 Get Onboard Our Email List Be the first to hear about new videos, digital products, and sailing resources: 👉 https://sailingwithsix.kit.com/00fa3b2007 ⚓ New to the Channel? We share what life is really like living aboard with kids — homeschooling, provisioning, sailing mishaps, and the magic in between. 🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. #SailingWithSix #FamilySailing #LiveaboardLife #SailingFamily #travelwithkids