February 9, 2025 | St. Martin Departure, Cutting the Lines
Today, we cut the lines—time to shove off. In only a day and a half since meeting each other, we have developed as a strong crew. In that time, already, we’ve grown to share humor, trust, and confidence. For some of us, this is the biggest undertaking of our lives, by far. For others, this is another treasured lap across the pond. We come from opposite sides of this great ocean we are about to cross, and we will work together to do so successfully and safely.
This morning, as I walked on shore to greet the rising sun, I said out loud to myself, “You’re crossing the Atlantic Ocean today, Dude,” and I cried for several minutes. We know not what we will find out beyond the islands that surround us. We have a confident and empowering Captain Erik, who gave his crew a thorough safety and weather briefing all day yesterday, and his First Mate, Tim, has made us feel confident in his knowledge of this beautiful vessel and its systems, with his humble and kind demeanor.
Lee cloths and lee boards are installed for the first few days, at least, as we beat “uphill” for a few days to the northeast. We’ve got our watch teams established, and our nicknames are already developing (we actually already have two “MacGyvers” on board). A happy crew is a safe crew, and we are ready to cut the lines. All the ‘Aumakuas are out there, waiting for us to pass by—10 friendly humans on a beautiful and prepared vessel, the beautiful Swan that she is, Adrienne.
We are stoked. We are confident. We are safe. The wind is up, the sails are ready to be unfurled, and the anchor will take a siesta for 3–4 weeks. Mahalo, Adrienne, for carrying this strong crew across the great Atlantic Ocean!
/ Ryan Redmond, Adrienne Crew
crew@59-north.com
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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.