Saturday, July 12, 2025
Hello from the least experienced person on the crew! At sea for almost 2.5 days now. This is our second day of a full watch rotation and we’re all starting to get the feel of the routine. It’s afternoon now and finally the seas are a bit calmer. We certainly hit the ocean running! We had squalls, intermittent rain, and gusts of 35 kts. The Yankee jib came out and then went back in several times. Just put it out again and it looks like we may be able to leave it there for a bit longer.
We’ve seen tons of jumping fish today and we have a new part-time member of the crew—a brown booby who’s been following us since the wee hours of the morning, occasionally going for a ride on our pulpit.
Things that have surprised me as a novice sailor:
- A crew of 11 and not one annoying person in the bunch! Everyone is pleasant, helpful, and kind.
- I don’t mind the stickiness of the salt water and air at all.
- They’re not kidding when they say just living on a sailboat offshore takes a lot of energy.
- Lying down in your bunk and shutting your eyes really does help seasickness.
- The food is fantastic!
- After only knowing each other for a few days, we already have inside jokes.
- Helming is really fun!
- I can indeed learn to nap during the day!
- Stephanie L. | FALKEN Crew
FALKENCrew
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The Penultimate Blog from Adrienne II
After 20 days, and 3000+ nautical miles, we're back on land. The motley crew of Adrienne II, consisting of 7 happy amateurs supported by 3 professionals, have completed an epic journey many dream of but few realize. So much of this trip has been about being present - with nature, with each other, with this boat. My biggest takeaway from this trip is the amazing crossing of the ITCZ (Inter Tropical Convergence Zone). We all hope you've enjoyed the blog as much as we've enjoyed creating it.
Mother Nature, you’ve outdone yourself!
It’s been a great experience to have a non-traditional trans-Atlantic, as it’s been packed with genuinely cool features. The Doldrums!! A place sailors have been talking about for centuries. The unpredictability is what made it such an exhilarating experience. While some might be frightened or alarmed by this kind of weather, I was embodied with a sense of calm and awe. There’s something wildly beautiful about being reminded how small you are, while feeling so incredibly alive.
A Heavenly High
As you have probably figured out at this point, the drug of choice on board is, of course, celestial navigation- an art which has hooked offshore sailors for centuries. Once addicted, navigators will emerge from down below only to get their fixes two times per day, and spend the rest of their days and nights down below doing complex spherical mathematics. On Adrienne II, our skipper is our dealer. I must confess that I myself gave in to the strange urge which I’ve felt witnessing my crewmates practice this fine art, and yesterday felt an amazing sensation as I was able to wield the sextant for the first time and with it, bring down the tip of our starboard spreader to the top of our front sprayhood, presicely measuring the angle between the two (35deg, 38,8’ min). This afternoon, Naxo then showed me how to get my fix from the very sun itself - and I now fear there is no turning back.