6°10.915' S 031°36.916' W
October 4, 2025 | 20:55 UTC | 6°10.915' S 031°36.916' W
In some ways, the beginning of day 4 was the true start of our offshore passage. At night on day 3, we could still see the glow of Brazilian cities on the western horizon, but now all light pollution is gone. The moon is still waxing and in the evening sky, but early in the morning it sets, and the stars have been amazing. Orion stands bright overhead, and we have seen the Southern Cross across the stern. Hoping there will be more clear, moonless nights to come!
Today was a day of mixed weather. Several squalls required us to change course and dodge around them. With squalls on the horizon in most directions, the ocean seemed small, as if we were in our own little seascape for sailing. We got some rain, which felt good. Lance set up the freshwater garden hose and some of us took quick showers on the deck. We had chicken Caesar salads for lunch and will have hamburgers for dinner. Morale is generally high, yet some are still suffering from seasickness. The rough sea state and strong winds don’t help, of course.
In a calm period between squalls, we decided to replace the jib with the genoa. This was a fun operation after flying the same sails on the same tack since the beginning of the voyage. Within minutes, we were speeding along at over 10 knots. But all good things must end, and within an hour the winds started picking up due to another squall. We took down the genoa and reefed the main, which went smoothly. The winds continued to pick up to over 25 knots and Adrienne II was soon sailing fast again. It is an exhilarating experience on deck right now.
- Andrew Elmore | ADRIENNE II Crew
crew@59-north.com
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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.