Day 3 At-sea
January 25, 2024
Well, what a difference a day makes! From three reefs and a partial jib to full sail, and eventually reverting to the trusty iron sail as the wind finally disappeared this evening. The crew have been having a ball and feeling jubilant to have conquered some rather large seas and fairly fruity gusts over the last 24 hours. Any sickness has abated and the laughter continues to emanate from across the hull. Even the dolphins showed up to wish the crew congratulations for having taken on the might of Mother Nature at her finest.
The predominant easterlies today have been a stark reminder of our proximity to the Sahara Desert, most of which now appears to be on board FALKEN, who looks as though she has undertaken a dodgy spray tan. The deck hose will no doubt be active as soon as we emerge from this giant orange cloud.
It’s sad to see the wind drop after such an incredible 48 hours, reaching some amazing speeds and surfing down the face of waves in the moonlight, but the crew are finally able to rest well and energy levels are returning to the good ship FALKEN. As ever, it’s inspiring to see friendships formed amidst the camaraderie that is synonymous with this kind of adventure. Looking forward to another amazing day tomorrow.
EmilyCaruso
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HMS Night Watch Party
Wing on wing worked well until the wind shifted then the helm became the cone of despair for our night watch crew of three (H, M and S) Alex made the decision to drop the pole, shifting wing on wing to a close reach. Wind increased to low teens and speed picked up to a flying pace. Day spent wandering toward Ensenada. Alex, Adam and David got us into port under another starry night.
No Kitemares Today
After a night marked by sudden wind accelerations peeling off Point Conception, and a vibrant, pulsating sky blistered with shooting stars, the off-watch woke to commotion on the foredeck. The wind had gone light and the swell had tapered just enough to raise the spinnaker. The sail filled with an urgent pop, the sheet strained and Falken charged down the face of the next wave. By mid-day, we doused the spinnaker and set our minds to the more precise task of safely punching through a gap in the notorious Cortez Bank. The border to Mexico looms ahead.
The California coast
We had a very lively first day of sailing with steady winds between 25 and 30 kn gusting to mid 30s. All of the crew got experience at difficult downwind helming as we covered 200 nautical miles in the first 24 hours. This morning brings winds in the teens and calmer seas. The sun is still shining, and the green monster has been slayed by those afflicted!