How about we just keep sailing?!
1436 UTC | 32°11.826’N 025°54.668’W
Sailing
Time is weird at sea. During the first few days of an extended ocean passage, it often feels as though you will never arrive at your destination. The miles-to-go tick down, and our log goes up about 8nm an hour, but the mountain that is an ocean crossing looms far in the distance.
We take it day by day. Occasionally I find myself measuring time by the number of yogurt containers left in the fridge.
Once we reach the halfway point, however, it feels to me as though the trip is basically over. Although half way means we have 9 or 10 more long and full days at sea, the concept of our time left to go seems like a blink of an eye.
And now, with under 600nm to go, I reach the point in our voyage where a part of me wishes we could just keep going. We’ve found a steady rhythm, I’ve come to know another top notch skipper and friend, and the ocean breeze at 32°N is incredibly fresh. I find I feel this same sentiment during most long ocean passages. As we get closer and closer, I begin to preemptively miss the wide open limitless feeling of ocean sailing. I know once we’re in sight of Gran Canaria, I’ll start to look forward to a shower, a nice cold beer, and a long phone call with my mom and dad. But from now until then, there’s a small feeling of melancholy for my time at sea coming to a close. Until the next…
As this is my last blog post for this trip, huge kudos and thanks to Bert, Molly, Linda, Bartek, Knut, and Simon. An enthusiastic and unique group of ocean sailors who have taken the last 14 days of upwind sailing like a walk in the park. And of course to our wonderful apprentice Anton, you rock! :)
All is well aboard Adrienne II, and we take each day as it comes.
Delaney Vorwick
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Final Blog
Falken and her crew arrived safely into port last night around 8pm boat time, 10pm Prince Rupert time. Some spicy weather was anticipated, but luckily the 35kt gusts and 2.5 meter waves were no match for this expert crew. We had an exceptionally smooth docking, despite it being Alex's first time parking this year (!). We all agreed that this was a very special group of people—I for one am so impressed with how everyone stayed so positive, helpful, and appreciative of humor despite an arguably challenging passage. We'll all return home significantly saltier than we were when we left, a mark of a passage properly sailed.
Lessons and a Gift
The biggest lesson is the helm. The lesson here is that even if you don't think you can do it over and over again with no sleep, cold and damp, it has to be done and so it can be done. Flying fish are cool, dolphins are really really cool, but the coolest of them all are the whales. And most of all Alex: "Find your center Carla. Always know where your center is so you can come back to it". He means the helm but it applies to life as well.
Making the most of it
This passage has thrown pretty much every atmospheric condition imaginable at us. It reminds us not only of how much we’ve learned, but of how far we’ve literally come since that acceleration zone off the northwest corner of Oahu. The resilience this group has shown has been nothing short of incredible, and I couldn’t be prouder to be part of it. Maybe that’s why it’s the hardest passages we remember the most. Not because they were easy, but because they reminded us what we’re capable of.
