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
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The Penultimate Blog from Adrienne II
After 20 days, and 3000+ nautical miles, we're back on land. The motley crew of Adrienne II, consisting of 7 happy amateurs supported by 3 professionals, have completed an epic journey many dream of but few realize. So much of this trip has been about being present - with nature, with each other, with this boat. My biggest takeaway from this trip is the amazing crossing of the ITCZ (Inter Tropical Convergence Zone). We all hope you've enjoyed the blog as much as we've enjoyed creating it.
Mother Nature, you’ve outdone yourself!
It’s been a great experience to have a non-traditional trans-Atlantic, as it’s been packed with genuinely cool features. The Doldrums!! A place sailors have been talking about for centuries. The unpredictability is what made it such an exhilarating experience. While some might be frightened or alarmed by this kind of weather, I was embodied with a sense of calm and awe. There’s something wildly beautiful about being reminded how small you are, while feeling so incredibly alive.
A Heavenly High
As you have probably figured out at this point, the drug of choice on board is, of course, celestial navigation- an art which has hooked offshore sailors for centuries. Once addicted, navigators will emerge from down below only to get their fixes two times per day, and spend the rest of their days and nights down below doing complex spherical mathematics. On Adrienne II, our skipper is our dealer. I must confess that I myself gave in to the strange urge which I’ve felt witnessing my crewmates practice this fine art, and yesterday felt an amazing sensation as I was able to wield the sextant for the first time and with it, bring down the tip of our starboard spreader to the top of our front sprayhood, presicely measuring the angle between the two (35deg, 38,8’ min). This afternoon, Naxo then showed me how to get my fix from the very sun itself - and I now fear there is no turning back.