Another Windwalker here. I usually have several unexplored locations I'd like to map. I check the wind direction and head that way, mapping the nearby coastlines along the way. When the wind is not to my liking and I don't have Moder power, I set up a portal and take my ship back through it. Eventually, that portal serves as another expedition starting point.
I don't map the islands. If I see anything interesting on them, I place a map marker in the approximate location even if the area is undiscovered.

Hello again. Your questions and the community answers are nice to see.

Mostly hang to the coast in a longship. If it's practically a continent in size, then I land and start the process of making an outpost. From there, I try to find interesting landmarks that will be easy to remember in the future and crossroads between 3+ biomes.

Crossroads tend to have interesting fights since there's cross-biome rivalry between creatures, and sometimes resources can have unexpected placements. A few hours ago, I found a double copper deposit (one physically and partially covering the other) in a mountain outskirt, but right up against a meadow.

Otherwise it's more coast sailing until I find the biome that has the resource I need the most.

Beach runner into criss crosser, biome hugger into fog of war enjoyer.

Coast sailor unless I'm searching for a particular biome then I make landfall and explore.

Coast sailor. It was probably my third game ... found a nearby swamp with some meadow next to it. Sailed the resources over and built a base with a forge and the whole nine yards. Found ZERO crypts. Now I sail the coast and if I don't see at least 2 or 3 crypts from the water I consider it not viable and keep looking.

More recently I've upped my requirements to include a fire geyser. I really like being able to farm surtling cores, get free coal, and have a place to run if I trigger an abomination early on

Additionally, if you sail just far enough outside the swamp that you're not actually "in" the biome, you don't get the rain and poor visibility and you can get a pretty good look at what's in there. I give the plains a wide berth ... just close enough to get the coast on the map.

That said, actually entering any biome for the first time I work from the coastline in. Seems to me there are fewer mobs along the coastline and I can't easily get surrounded if I'm backed up against the water.

Yes.

If its a tiny island I just sail around it. A large Island I dock on the coast, build a workbench and repair the boat then build a portal and head back to base. I get my rested bonus then run along the coast in one direction until half my rested bonus is gone then turn and go interior parallel to the coast until I get back to the boat and portal.

Then I rest again and do the same thing going along the coast in the opposite direction. If that hasn't cleared the island I pick up the portal and the work bench and sail along the coast that I had explored until I get to unexplored area. Then I dock, build, and repeat until I have the coast and most of the exterior explored. Then I fill in any remaining interior.

After that I exploit any resources that I need that are found there, put the ore(s) in the ship and portal every thing else back. When the ship is full I sail it back to my main base, unload it, then destroy the boat to recover the materials, and portal back to the island that I just finished. Then I rebuild the boat. take the portal down, then the work bench, and sail to the next island.

@knighttemplar1960 You have a system!

a mix. whatever i feel like doing at the time.

bulldozer here. I make, take or build my routes. systematically stripping anything of value between my destination and whatever camp(s) i have.

Coast sailor on my karve, mainly when looking for swamps or the merchant, with the occasional foray from the boat to the interior of black forests large enough to not spot the merchant from the coast.
On foot I tend to follow the coast a bit inland, leaving the coast for karve revealing.

I am a coast sailer, i use trips to explore parts of coastlines until i have the full picture, its fast, efficient and i have a reason to sail :D

I run around the coast line, then zig-zag through the interior to map the whole island. This way I can tag things as I go.

Coast sailor (to get the shape of an island and a general view of the biomes) -> Beach running (to scout out initial resources and POIs I may have spotted from the boat).

After that I just kind of meander through the interior.

Windwalker. Just go where the wind takes me unless I'm returning to base.