February 25, Day 17 | Life on the Heel is Real
And so we embark on our final leg of the voyage, just as we began. Adrienne is looking her finest, dressed in a double-reefed main and the staysail holding strong, constantly drenched in saltwater and driving hard! Once again, we are close-hauled against the trades. Class 3 whitewater waves cover her deck every 50 waves or so, keeping things fun and exciting.
Both above and below decks, whether simply traversing around the helm or negotiating the head, logistical contemplation is essential—no different than planning the first series of hop turns skiing down a steep couloir. A walk to the galley, with Adrienne at full heel, is an adventure in itself, not to mention the companionway stairs and helming.
Some say they are ready to go back to “real life.” Some of us agree to disagree; this is as real as life gets. In the next 24 hours, we will catch our first glimpse of the Canaries. Bernard Moitessier felt love at first sight when he did so via celestial navigation in the 1960s. Our crew is weathered, exhausted, and strong. We have cared for and supported one another beyond comprehension. Adrienne continues to charge and only wants more sailing. She is a remarkable vessel.
Mahalo Captain Erik and first mate Tim; you have empowered your crew to safely navigate squalls, to catch glimpses of sleep whenever possible, and to helm Adrienne in the fashion that suits her. The long tack to round La Palma is in process—Adrienne will be hauled out and set up with a new outfit for her next voyage across the sea.
—Ryan Redmond, Crew
crew@59-north.com
View more passage logs
People Get Ready!
The last three days have been an intense (and intensely hot) period of discovery, practice, and planning. Because Adrienne II is not a 59N boat, there's been some extra setup and coordination needed including rigging all the sails that were out for repairs before we arrived. Its been a blast working alongside the 59N team getting to help them work things out on a less familiar boat in real time. Tomorrow morning we'll run through our Person Over Board training as the final pre-departure task, cast off and head out. Can't know all that it will be, but its going to be a great adventure out in the vast world with some pretty fantastic people.
Among the Channel Islands
In the wind shadow of SoCal we had a restful night with calm conditions ghosting through smooth seas. We’re getting ourselves in position for spicy weather tonight once we round Cape Conception, the seas build and the breeze freshens. It will be an upwind sail into an acceleration zone along a formable coast with few bailout points, Morro Bay being one. The crew is really gelling with lots of smiles and laughter on deck. Monterey is in our sights!
Day Two Delights
The seas were completely glassy with a gentle swell as we approached San Clemente Island, the southernmost of the Channel Islands. Everyone jumped in and marvelled at the lovely temperature and crystal clear, indigo-colored water. Before long the wind started to pick up, and we happily unfurled the jib and were sailing again. The afternoon has been gorgeous, cruising along at 5-6 kts, close hauled on a port tack in a gentle breeze, Catalina Island in the distance on our starboard side, and everyone is happy.