Our first days at the shipyard

It has been over seven years since WAOW set sail for her last journey. Seven years during which her spirit lived on, carried by memories, friendships, and a shared love for the ocean.

Today, we are proud to announce that the adventure continues: WAOW 2 is under construction. Being built in Indonesia by the same shipbuilder, Haji Wahab, who crafted the original WAOW, and guided by the passion of our team, she is slowly taking shape—plank by plank, detail by detail.

Follow her journey

The road ahead is still long, and WAOW 2 is not yet ready to sail.

But starting today, we invite you to follow her journey from the shipyard to the sea. Together, we will watch her grow, until the day she is ready to welcome her first divers on board.

WAOW 2 will be as big and as beautiful as WAOW once was. But we aim to make it even better, learning from our past experience and perfecting it as much as we can.

Safety, comfort, service, environmental impact: everything is being rethought, refined, and elevated to create a vessel that not only honors the legacy of WAOW, but sets a new standard for the journeys to come.

A word from Michel

Every sailor knows: the wind is always changing.

When WAOW was lost, I felt that shift. At first, a warm breeze carried me to my pencils, sketching the dream of WAOW II.

Then, a colder gust reminded me of my age—was it really wise to dream again?

Yet as the wind settled, what remained was gratitude. Gratitude for the joy I shared with Haji and his master craftsmen, with Andrew, then Reto and Lorine at the helm, with the whole crew, and with all of you who came aboard. At peace, I could only whisper: thank you, life.

For years, I resisted the calls to bring this adventure back. But then the little voice returned—in the form of my daughter Camille. She had lived the entire saga, from construction to that tragic end. She learned to dive on board, she became part of the story.

Again and again, she asked me: “Papa, when will you give us another WAOW?”

Her brother Frédéric joined her, regretful that he had never set foot on WAOW—too busy leading the family business, until it was too late.

So... I finally said yes. On one condition: that they take the helm themselves, surrounded by the WAOW team, for the joy of all.

And so today, we welcome WAOW 2—faithful twin to WAOW, with just a few small touches of her own.

May the winds be kind, and may the adventure continue!

Michel

Shipyard

WAOW 2 will be built and born in Bira, in South Sulawesi province, a place known for its white sand beaches and... its talented shipbuilders.

Find a bird's-eye view of this magnificent location on our YouTube channel.

We are delighted to share with you the very first moments of our journey at the WAOW 2 shipyard.

This visit was filled with emotion, and above all with gratitude and admiration for the remarkable craftsmanship of Master Haji Wahab and his talented team. Observing their work up close, step by step, has been a privilege — and we captured every detail with passion.

From the start, we were captivated by the beauty of the keel’s timber. We touched it, smelled its fragrance, and felt its strength — already forming the living backbone of our vessel.

Find us on Instagram and discover the reel of our first images at the shipyard

It is with great pride and joy that we witness WAOW returning to life.

Rahmat (Haji’s son), Lorine, Reto, Haji Wahab, Camille, Wulan in front of WAOW 2's keel, September 16, 2025

WAOW 2 key provisional timeline

September 2025 – Keel laying

Summer 2027 – Ship launch & start of fitting out

Spring 2028 – Masts Stepping

Summer 2028 – Sea Trials

September 2028 – Maiden voyage

Master Haji Wahab

We are so deeply proud and endlessly grateful to be building WAOW 2 together with the great Master Haji Wahab and his wonderful team.

Haji Wahab is not only a true legend of Phinisi shipbuilding — the reference of his generation — but also, above all, the builder of our beloved and much-missed WAOW. Since then, Haji has become much more than a partner — he is a dear friend to Michel.

Here’s how Michel once described their bond: “The most important thing is to start at the end — to say what he has become to me: a friend, a brother.

Because of the language barrier, we have always spoken only through translators, or sometimes just a glance, a nod, a gesture. He doesn’t know my background, and I don’t know 90% of his. But our friendship runs deep, and our trust is absolute.

We share the same values and understand each other without words. Haji speaks little and never raises his voice — not to his workers, not to anyone. He smiles, gestures, and everyone understands him. He inspires respect.”

Only Haji Wahab and his incredible team could bring WAOW 2 to life.

We couldn’t dream of better hands or bigger hearts to rebuild this dream.

Because WAOW has always been more than wood and sails — it has been a community, a dream shared.

Now, seven years later, that dream is being built once again.