Day 5
July 9, 2024 | Day 4 At Sea | Baptism of the North Sea
What a different day! As we made our way towards the Fair Isle Channel, we went from full sail to three reefs in the sail and staysail. We arrived just at the right moment for the tide to be favourable, and the wind backed north as predicted to allow us to reach through the channel comfortably in building seas.
Then the weather closed in. Gone was the sunshine and amazing light, replaced by grey seas and a grey, murky sky with drizzle. Neptune’s little game of baptism in the North Sea.
As we cleared the channel, the wind increased and we sailed like a freight train towards Norway on a close reach, with hoots of laughter from the on-watch team as they experienced some exhilarating heavy weather sailing. The confused seas in the channel slowly became more organised as we cleared the channel and headed across the North Sea, making for a more comfortable ride.
Dinner was a mission to prepare in these challenging conditions, but it was still special to come together and eat and see how everyone was feeling. The drizzle changed to rain as we sailed straight into the low. We were in for a wet night!
- Jojo Pickering, Skipper, S/Y FALKEN
JoJoPickering
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Shooting Stars & Turtle Logs
Day three out of Ketchikan and FALKEN is running wing on wing down the outside of Vancouver Island. The temptation is to lie back in the cockpit and spend the night watching for shooting stars, but a diligent watch is always the first priority. So we keep a sharp eye out while the shooting stars keep us company through the night. The wildlife keeps coming: humpback and minke whales, five mola molas, dolphins, and a black-footed albatross. We are all feeling lucky for such conditions!
Pot dodging and whale watching
Duncan got us up to eleven knots at one point! The Ferriers also logged our first Orca sighting on their 3am-6am watch! This morning is a gift as the temps are just right and we finally have some blue sky and plenty of sunshine. It was a glorious few hours sailing before it inevitably died as forecast. I live in hope that by sunset tonight we’ll be back sailing as we emerge out of the lee of the island and the wind will be more westerly which lends itself to a better sailing angle.
We are off!
After two days of introductions, safety briefings and boat procedures we have departed Ketchikan. We are currently making a whopping 3.3 knots as there is very little wind in Nichols Passage. Adam fed us well last night with a delicious shrimp curry and Duncan was the winner of a sporty game of the card version Monopoly. With the scenic views and light wind it's quite peaceful out here.