Day 2
Another day is coming to an end as we watch the sunset go down over the horizon. The good news is that FALKEN is still doing over 9 knots, which means we've done another 210 nautical miles+ day! The bad news is that we're still going upwind... that's right, ever since we left Cuba we've been on a hill—sleeping on an angle, cooking on an angle, socialising on an angle. The crew have been loving it though, and the smooth sea state is what's allowing us to have such great averages.
Chris and I are very excited for the upcoming days and the long-promised forecast for the wind to slowly start veering... only time will tell! In other news, we have experienced a couple of little squalls, everyone has had a shower, and rainbows have been spotted. It's also great to see how no one is suffering from the green monster, even on this constant angle!
I cooked a bolognese tonight and we had lovely discussions about how people eat their spaghetti over dinner. Thank God there aren't any Italians onboard! Much love to everyone! May the 4th be with you from onboard the Millennium Falken.
- Alex
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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.