Parsing the middle column into "three distinct groups" gives KORCULA, MOOREA, and NASSAU, which are ISLANDS ("where are the going?"), the final answer.
Not the easiest crossword clues, they nevertheless give words that
can fill in the grid. To get the correct order when filling in
the grid, notice that the first letters spell out, as per the
flavortext, "some wellington boots":
Parsing the middle column into "three distinct groups" gives KORCULA,
MOOREA, and NASSAU, which are ISLANDS ("where are the going?"), the
final answer.