i've finished the first island and have the ability to use the ship to go south, but when i try to do so the goddess says 'come talk to me in lakeview before you depart', okay, where do i need to go to talk to her? i tried the waygate, but that just brings up the regular interface for it

There's a little hidden nook in the top right of Lakeview. It'll look like a memorial, similar to the one in Cedar. She'll be there waiting on you to come visit her.