22:00 UTC | 06°06.41’N 096°57.78’W
Sailing
At night, between the clouds, the Milky Way stretches down to the waves. The Southern Cross tumbles slowly in place near the horizon; across the sky, the Big Dipper disappears to the north. Bioluminescence sparks in the waves that break against Falken’s hull and glimmers in the cresting tops of the swells that surround us. Alex’s quiet coaching drifts through the cockpit—small helm movements, but more often: “Feel the wind, feel the waves, listen to Falken.”
We’re heading southwest until the clouds break, trying to get through the band of squalls and gusts that separates us from the trade winds, steering with the wind 110 degrees off the port bow. The swell is coming from two directions, sometimes canceling itself out in a moment of stillness, and sometimes coming together to form a pyramid a few meters high which slides Falken sideways with a whoosh and a splash.
Alex said I’m always smiling at the helm. I’m not surprised; she’s a beautiful boat to steer, tugging gently at the wheel as the waves pick her up. I get the feeling she knows exactly where she’s supposed to be going and is bemused by our novice attempts to guide her. Another 2,800 miles or so to go, and I’m sure we’ll all get better at listening to her.
Phoebe
View more passage logs
Shooting Stars & Turtle Logs
Day three out of Ketchikan and FALKEN is running wing on wing down the outside of Vancouver Island. The temptation is to lie back in the cockpit and spend the night watching for shooting stars, but a diligent watch is always the first priority. So we keep a sharp eye out while the shooting stars keep us company through the night. The wildlife keeps coming: humpback and minke whales, five mola molas, dolphins, and a black-footed albatross. We are all feeling lucky for such conditions!
Pot dodging and whale watching
Duncan got us up to eleven knots at one point! The Ferriers also logged our first Orca sighting on their 3am-6am watch! This morning is a gift as the temps are just right and we finally have some blue sky and plenty of sunshine. It was a glorious few hours sailing before it inevitably died as forecast. I live in hope that by sunset tonight we’ll be back sailing as we emerge out of the lee of the island and the wind will be more westerly which lends itself to a better sailing angle.
We are off!
After two days of introductions, safety briefings and boat procedures we have departed Ketchikan. We are currently making a whopping 3.3 knots as there is very little wind in Nichols Passage. Adam fed us well last night with a delicious shrimp curry and Duncan was the winner of a sporty game of the card version Monopoly. With the scenic views and light wind it's quite peaceful out here.