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Greatfish Isle & Nayru’s Pearl

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Your map marks Greatfish Isle as the next stop, so chart a course. (From Forest Haven it’s roughly west-northwest on the Sea Chart). As you sail, you’ll notice the sky growing dark and stormy. In fact, night falls… and strangely, it isn’t turning back to day. Don’t worry – this eerie eternal night is story-related (known as the “endless night” until you meet Jabun). Before long, you arrive at what should be Greatfish Isle – but you’re greeted by a somber sight. The island is in ruins, shattered into pieces with a giant gaping spiral rock in the center. Lightning forks the sky, and the music is ominously silent. Welcome to Greatfish Isle, or what’s left of it.

Step ashore on one of the broken landmasses and soon the friendly Rito postman Quill swoops in. He delivers grave news: This island was home to Jabun, but Ganondorf attacked and demolished it, leaving it a wreck. Thankfully, Jabun (a great fish spirit) escaped the destruction by fleeing to a safer hiding place. Quill says Jabun is now hiding back at your home, Outset Island, behind a mighty stone door. The good news: Jabun still has Nayru’s Pearl. The bad news: to get to Jabun, you’ll need Bombs to bust through that stone wall. Quill mentions he saw Tetra’s pirate ship heading toward Windfall Island, likely in search of bombs themselves. He suggests you go to Windfall next. After Quill departs, the King of Red Lions confirms the plan. Time to sail for Windfall (which is luckily not far). Note: It will remain dark and rainy until you reunite with Jabun, so don’t worry when the sun doesn’t come up. Also, if you’re up for a quick side mission, Greatfish Isle itself hides a Piece of Heart – on the southeast broken pillar, use the Deku Leaf to glide into a tiny cove with a chest for an easy Heart Piece.

Sail north to Windfall Island. You’ll likely arrive at night, with the island quiet and the residents indoors. You’ll notice Tetra’s pirate ship docked at the back of the island near the bomb shop’s cliff. Let’s get those Bombs! Head to the Bomb Shop on the southwestern hill of Windfall. The front door is locked (the pirates have locked out the owner), so we need to sneak in. Go around behind the shop along the left side. There’s a narrow ledge – sidle across (press against the wall and move carefully). Climb up the ivy vines to a small glowing hole and crawl through. In a scene inside, you’ll find the pirates have tied up the poor bomb shop owner and are raiding his stash. Stay put and listen in on their conversation. The pirate crew (Gonzo, Senza, etc.) mention heading to Outset next, and crucially, they’ll blurt out their secret password for the day. (It’s randomly chosen each playthrough – could be one of several words like “Treasure”, “Plankton”, “Barnacle”, etc.– so pay attention!). After they gloat and leave with the loot, you’re free to exit the crawlspace.

Now make your way to the pirates’ ship docked by the shore. Climb onto the ship (from the small rock by the cliff or the dock ramp). There’s a door on the side of the hull. When you interact, it asks for the password. Input the word you overheard (the game thankfully makes you type it out – spell it exactly as heard, e.g. “Treasure” in all lowercase). If correct, the door unlocks. Head inside to the pirate ship’s cabin. Down below, you reunite with Niko – our old swabbie buddy from the Forsaken Fortress. He’s surprised you’re here, but he’s eager to show off another challenge he set up.

Niko’s new mini-game is another rope-swinging course, but this time a bit tougher: you must swing across without landing on the platforms (since some platforms now retract) and you’re on a time limit. It sounds daunting, but you’ve done this before – you got this! Jump to the first rope, swing and time your jumps from rope to rope until you land on the far ledge. If you fall, just climb back up the ladder and try again. With a little rhythm and patience, you’ll make it across in time. Niko is genuinely impressed (poor guy, he doesn’t realize you’ve essentially commandeered their ship). As promised, a big treasure chest appears. Open it to finally obtain the Bombs item! Now you have a Bomb Bag and can blow stuff up to your heart’s content (and more importantly, clear the path to Jabun). ?

Jackpot! Link obtaining the Bombs on the pirate ship. – Right after you snag the Bombs, Tetra will call you on the Pirate’s Charm (your stone radio). She realizes you’re on their ship swiping their Bombs, but she’s actually impressed. Tetra gives you the okay to keep the Bombs (and teases you to hurry to Outset). Mission accomplished on Windfall! Before you leave the island, check the mailbox – you should have a letter from Beedle announcing he now stocks Bombs, along with Beedle’s Chart for all his shop locations. Also, if you hadn’t learned the Song of Passing from Tott (the dancing guy), now’s a good time – it lets you switch day/night at will. In Wind Waker HD you might have done this already. It’s not required, but fun to have.

Now set sail for Outset Island (your home). It’s a long trip south through stormy seas. If you haven’t changed the wind, do so to get a tailwind. When you arrive at Outset, nostalgia! But there’s no time to waste – Jabun is waiting. Outset is still under the endless night and heavy rain. You need to get around to the back side of the island. Optional stop: If you visit Grandma’s house now, you’ll find your dear Grandma is feeling very ill from worry. If you have a fairy in a bottle, you can use it to heal her. Doing so will net you Elixir Soup, a hearty homemade potion that doubles your attack power and can fully heal you twice – highly recommended for your journey! Give Granny some love if you can.

When ready, cruise around Outset’s outside perimeter (go right from the dock, around the tall mountain) to the large cave entrance blocked by a giant stone wall. This is Jabun’s hideout. As you approach, equip your Bombs to the cannon (on GameCube, assign Bombs and use the cannon by pressing the button while on the boat; in HD, just activate the cannon mode). You’ll want to keep a little distance from the wall and fire bombs at it. It takes about three direct hits to crumble the stone barrier. Kaboom! With the entrance opened, sail inside the now-exposed cave.

Inside the dim cavern, a cutscene plays. You finally meet Jabun, the great water spirit, who looks like an enormous sage-eyed fish with a glowing crest. He speaks in ancient Hylian tongue (which sounds like gibberish to Link). Fortunately, the King of Red Lions translates. Jabun recognizes the urgency and, after a short dialogue, he graciously rewards you with Nayru’s Pearl, the third and final Goddess Pearl. No trials, no boss fight – Jabun trusts you with it (after all, you did save the other two spirits). The moment is a bit solemn; Jabun hints at the challenges ahead for the Hero. With the pearl in hand, you are that much closer to fulfilling the legend.

Congratulations! You now hold all three pearls: Din’s, Farore’s, and Nayru’s. As you exit Jabun’s cave, the eternal night curse is lifted and dawn finally breaks over the Great Sea. The King of Red Lions will explain your next objective – placing each pearl on the three Triangle Islands to unlock an ancient temple. But that’s an adventure for the next chapter. For now, give yourself a pat on the back. You helped the Deku Tree and the Koroks, braved the Forbidden Woods to save Makar (earning Farore’s Pearl in the process), and outsmarted pirates to unite with Jabun and secure Nayru’s Pearl. The world of Wind Waker is opening up even more, and Hyrule’s secrets await. Until next time, happy sailing and OY (as Makar would say)! ?￢ﾀﾍ☠️