Made it to Dover
September 6, 2024, 19:00 UTC | Thunder in the English Channel
We spent a day in Dover dodging intense thunder on the English Channel. We walked up the white cliffs to see Dover Castle, dating back to the 1100s, a Roman lighthouse, and WWII tunnels from where they controlled Operation Dynamo, saving hundreds of thousands of soldiers from Dunkirk.
More thunder is on its way. When departing Dover today at noon, we had a 24-hour weather window in which we would try to make some headway. Our next port of call is Weymouth. Going to Guernsey was sadly not an option anymore due to the angry weather systems on approach.
I am very thankful for meeting all my new friends onboard Falken. We have become our own small family, and I am so happy to see them every day. The days are running away from us, and we are making the most of the time we still have together.
Love,
David the apprentice
59ºNorthApprentice
View more passage logs
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.
Greetings from Lala Lemonshark
The brave crew is toughing it out and staying cheerful despite being tossed around. The engine is off and we are true sailing-main and jib. In the first 12 hours we saw two pods of Orca and four humpback whales, two of which were 20 yards off the starboard beam!