02:27 UTC | 00°43.4’N 089°37.0’W
Sailing.
Port tack close-hauled about one degree north of the equator, our crew of pollywogs has grown close. Looking out for each other and our trusty Falken, the miles are clicking away seemingly unrelated to our time at see - 103 hours and 619 miles per SailTies. Perfect strangers less than a week ago are now connected in a way that is hard to describe but so very easy to experience.
You’d think this crew bonding is borne on the back of shared mild discomfort - life’s steadfast instructor. But we have all of the mod cons - showers 2 - 3 times a day*, ice in our drinks **, great food (without fail!).
Maybe it’s steering by the stars, the southern cross your target between the mast and stay during your 0300 - 0600 watch. There is something about that line in the Eagle’s song, regardless of you’re a fan or not.
It certainly could be the 59º Degrees North team, who are so skilled at not just sailing, but people. They are meeting every one of us crew exactly where we are and what we want out of this experience.
In the end, this has simply been a life-changing experience for all of our crew. At some point early in the morning, we will sail cross the equator, and this lowly group of pollywogs, having pledged our allegiance to Neptune ( who, perhaps due to funding restrictions, is operating only during regular business hours), will become shell backs. And a few hours later, we make landfall in the Galápagos Islands. And I imagine a few tears will be shed.
*results will vary, but shaking out reefs at 2 am increase averages.
**it can happen.
Johnny
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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.