Day 2
Monday, 27 May 2024, 2000 GMT
Before we left Bermuda, we studied the weather and went through all the possible routing options. In the end, with all weather models predicting northerly winds for the last three days of our trip, we decided to take the northern route. This is adding some extra miles, but hopefully we will be in a better position for the predicted northerlies.
So far, we have had two slow days with very light or sometimes even no wind at all. Luckily, the sea was as flat as it gets, without that residue swell that sometimes slaps the little wind there is out of the sails.
The crew has been patiently steering FALKEN, slowly building some speed and then keeping it up. They have done a great job, and we only had to motor when the windex stopped moving entirely. It gave everyone some time to settle into boat life and get used to helming. However, it started to get a little bit boring, and we all wished for a bit more wind.
To our delight, the weather forecast was correct: by mid-morning the wind started building and veering. FALKEN settled on a close reach with a full mainsail and yankee, slowly following the wind around until we were on course to our next waypoint. This afternoon, the wind increased even more and we put the first reef into the mainsail. FALKEN is now gliding along at 8, 9, 9 and a half knots boat speed with a constant 20-degree heel. Fantastic sailing!
Not so fantastic for our apprentice Athena, though, who is on dinner duty tonight. Cooking for 11 people whilst at a 20-degree heel is a bit painful. So we furled the yankee and hoisted the staysail. This reduced the angle of heel to a more manageable 15 degrees, and FALKEN, the fast and slippery boat she is, still powers along at 8 knots plus.
For the next 48 hours, the forecast predicts a steady Force 4 to 5 with the wind veering from the ESE to the SSW, which will allow us to sail more freely. This probably means reaching with the mainsail, staysail, and yankee—FALKEN’s favorite point of sail! Fast sailing guaranteed.
Fair winds and a following sea,
- Chris
ChrisKobusch
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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.