gybing into position
January 19, 2025, 12:30 UTC | Gybing into Position
I’m already having to ask the team what day it is despite being just 48 hours into our epic passage. We started on a mission south with a view to getting below the high pressure that is about to dominate the waters south of the Canaries. Speed is up and down, and we completed our first gybe with the pole yesterday afternoon. The west that we banked took us clear of the Moroccan coast and allowed us to gybe for a second time this morning, setting us back on a SSW course towards Cape Verde.
The next goal is to reach 20N ahead of the building swell that is the result of a deep low well north of us and its associated fronts. From there, we should be able to sail directly towards Antigua, albeit responding to the later forecasts as we proceed.
Derek and Jillian are practicing bringing the sun down to the horizon with the sextant as I type. Sarah is updating our paper charts with the latest fix, and the crew are all lunching on noodles as the watches change over once again.
Last night, the disco jellyfish entertained us with a light display as they bounced off of FALKEN’s hull and left a stream of glowing balls astern of us. I’d say we were well settled into the watches already, which is a very good sign of things to come.
— Emily
EmilyCaruso
View more passage logs
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.