dolphins and asteroids
January 21, 2025, 20:17 UTC | 19º 50.9’ N / 022º 45.8’ W | Dolphins and Asteroids
It is now 19:17 local time onboard. Yesterday we changed the time back one hour; we have a few time zones to travel through before we reach Antigua and will change the boat time back one hour every third day or so. About this time last night, the wind finally picked up enough to turn off the engine and roll the jib out, and we have been sailing ever since. The wind has been a bit light today, still in the lower 10s, but is due to pick up to around 15-20 knots sometime tomorrow.
The last 24 hours have been amazing, sailing in almost a flat sea with a gentle swell rolling in. Dolphins have been coming by, visiting us at the bow many times a day. Yesterday, the evening watch saw what they thought was an asteroid—the sail lit up and a bright light illuminated the sky for a few seconds.
All is good onboard. We have truly settled into the routine of life at sea: reading books, chatting in the cockpit, making lots of tea (and some coffee), and Janette even had her painting supplies out today. Once again, it has been really fun to read the comments (they will be sent to us via Iridium), so if you read this blog, please make a comment below.
From Mia & the FALKEN crew
mia@59-north.com
View more passage logs
Seasickness
But maybe, I thought, with some drugs I could stay ahead of it. The first 48 hours I felt horrible. But luckily with 3 health care professionals on board and in a very encouraging environment, my body found its way. Anyway, someone offered me a patch (unavailable in Canada) and someone else gave me some pills for nausea and now I feel much, much better.
Dolphins and Bioluminescence
We had a good run with the sails but weather has changed and we are once again chasing the wind. Everyone is getting a chance to practice helming in big swell; starting to get a feel of the wind and water and how it pushes and pulls the hull. A pod of dolphins came to visit at night, splashing in the bioluminescent water, and again in the day, dancing in the bow wake. For now enjoying the calmer sea state and falling asleep to the rumble of the engine and the gentle whooshing of the water on the hull.
Greetings from Lala Lemonshark
The brave crew is toughing it out and staying cheerful despite being tossed around. The engine is off and we are true sailing-main and jib. In the first 12 hours we saw two pods of Orca and four humpback whales, two of which were 20 yards off the starboard beam!