Final Debrief
San Francisco Bay | Monday 25th of August | Local time 10:30
Well … it’s a wrap. Another trip complete. And this one was, as they always are in their own unique ways, quite the adventure.
Our last morning started with weighing anchor in thick fog. We set out for what we thought would be a four-hour motor into the Bay. Then, as if the Universe was gifting us just what we were hoping for, the sky cleared, the sun came out, and the wind started to blow. We hoisted the sails and a few miles later bore away left, sailing under the bridge, gybing back and forth across the Bay. A Golden Gate entry of dreams!
As is custom at the end of every trip, we spent our last night reflecting on the 882NM voyage we had from Victoria. This one was a touch different to normal as we opted to stay onboard and get Thai takeout for our ‘last supper’. We sat in the cockpit, clean (thanks to liveaboard Crystal for lending 11 women a key to the showers on a Sunday evening!) and cozy under our makeshift atmospheric red head-torch under-boom lighting, eating and drinking long into the evening.
I wish you could all be flies on the wall during the close of one of these trips. Last night, belly laughter, tears, and deep heartfelt expressions of gratitude ping-ponged around the crew as we looked back at our trip. Each ‘final debrief’ has its own personality—this one particularly entertaining, as every so often a song would be turned up on the speaker and the girls would launch into a sailing-inspired dance. This was followed by more roars of laughter, and then back to another grounding, inspiring reflection.
Many of the women shared how tough they had found the trip at certain moments, and how empowered they now feel after realizing—wow—“I am stronger than I thought I was.” That confidence can be a seed for new sailing dreams, and it was so brilliant to hear a few comments like, “I’m excited to go explore now on my own boat.” Because, isn’t this what it’s all about in the end? Dreams. Exploring. Discovery. For more of us to be brave enough to think up a dream and then maybe even make it happen.
As Amy so aptly put: “Find the line. Believe. Execute.”
- Nikki
NikkiHenderson
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People Get Ready!
The last three days have been an intense (and intensely hot) period of discovery, practice, and planning. Because Adrienne II is not a 59N boat, there's been some extra setup and coordination needed including rigging all the sails that were out for repairs before we arrived. Its been a blast working alongside the 59N team getting to help them work things out on a less familiar boat in real time. Tomorrow morning we'll run through our Person Over Board training as the final pre-departure task, cast off and head out. Can't know all that it will be, but its going to be a great adventure out in the vast world with some pretty fantastic people.
Among the Channel Islands
In the wind shadow of SoCal we had a restful night with calm conditions ghosting through smooth seas. We’re getting ourselves in position for spicy weather tonight once we round Cape Conception, the seas build and the breeze freshens. It will be an upwind sail into an acceleration zone along a formable coast with few bailout points, Morro Bay being one. The crew is really gelling with lots of smiles and laughter on deck. Monterey is in our sights!
Day Two Delights
The seas were completely glassy with a gentle swell as we approached San Clemente Island, the southernmost of the Channel Islands. Everyone jumped in and marvelled at the lovely temperature and crystal clear, indigo-colored water. Before long the wind started to pick up, and we happily unfurled the jib and were sailing again. The afternoon has been gorgeous, cruising along at 5-6 kts, close hauled on a port tack in a gentle breeze, Catalina Island in the distance on our starboard side, and everyone is happy.