02:50 UTC | 37.10N 122.36W
Sailing
The Pacific is giving us “the shimmer” - with a still flat sea seven hours out of San Francisco Bay, we’re motoring south along the shipping channel, with an hour to go to what teases now as a stunning sunset against wispy clouds. Throughout this first day of Falken 11 the sails have unfurled and been furled again as skipper Alex tries to fill them a meager breeze indeed. But no matter - we are laughing and getting to know one another and the specialness of this boat, taking the left over swells from hurricane Maria as gentle reminders to keep the faith in the power of the Pacific.
And what better to do when we’re poking along than throw a line off the stern and jump in the sea. An unexpected early benefit to this non-stop voyage, with crew sucking in air at the shock to the system the very cold water brings, then smiles of satisfaction.
We’ve seen a few whales traveling along the route, and an otter that was sadly just a buoy. We’re all learning to log the stats and feelings and some of us are remembering the names of sails and halyards that were learned but then forgotten in disuse. Everyone is very generous to help a mate, share the helm, double up to “sweat” the halyard.
My first watch will be from 9-12 tonight when a few of the models predict our wind will kick in. Could it be I’ll be rigging in the dark with my watch team? It’s the first open ocean sail for many of us and it’s a thrill to anticipate all the new experiences we’ll have.
Lynn
View more passage logs
Golden Day
The Pacific is giving us “the shimmer” - with a still flat sea seven hours out of San Francisco Bay, we’re motoring south along the shipping channel, with an hour to go to what teases now as a stunning sunset against wispy clouds. Throughout this first day of Falken 11 the sails have unfurled and been furled again as skipper Alex tries to fill them a meager breeze indeed. We’ve seen a few whales traveling along the route, and an otter that was sadly just a buoy. It’s the first open ocean sail for many of us and it’s a thrill to anticipate all the new experiences we’ll have.
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.