Ship’s Time: 0214
13º 14.349 N, 035º 32.445 W
Steering 280º at 8-9 knots
It is the start of day 5, which is officially the longest I have ever sailed at one time without seeing land. I am Captain Jen, normally a skipper of one of the two schooners, Woodwind and Woodwind II in Annapolis, MD. This is also my first trans-Atlantic crossing.
Tonight (slightly after midnight), under wing and wing sailing, it feels more like we are sailing through the night sky than sailing through the water. There is a mesmerizing ocean swell that is rocking everyone to sleep below. On deck, for me, is this weird sail plan of the mainsail that is safely prevented almost all the way out on one side (think of a right triangle with the top pointing up to Orion), while the high-footed jib, aka “blast reacher,” is poled out in the shape of a rooftop where the top of the roof is pointed opposite of the main boom. It is a sight I have never seen. And now add endless stars with no moon and it feels like we are at the helm of a tiny spaceship, not a sailing ship, and more like a satellite. Amazing!
This was the cherry on top of a great day that included freshly baked focaccia by Manot. The talent of this crew is melding together so nicely and the routine from day to day has set in. We are about to hit 700 nautical miles sailed as I wrap up this report. Back to the spaceship—now I know why Andy got a tattoo of the Millennium “FALKEN” on his forearm.
— Jen
Photos are from our previous boat ICEBEAR, a 1991 Swan 59, sailing wing-on-wing as Jen described above.
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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!