Making the most of it
11:00 UTC | 52°27.1N 138°22.7W
Sailing
Apologies for the lack of a blog yesterday. Everyone was focused on the one gybe of the whole passage, the one we absolutely had to get right. Thankfully, we nailed it.
Which means that now, after transitioning from one High Pressure System to the next, we’re back on the heel, beating upwind. Funny how quickly you can start missing the easy miles…
This passage has thrown pretty much every atmospheric condition imaginable at us. And just as we approach our final sprint to Dixon Entrance, it’s got one last trick up its sleeve: 35–40 knots with freezing northerly winds straight out of Alaska… and to be honest it would almost be rude if it ended any other way.
But this crew wouldn’t have it any other way. Finishing almost exactly how we started (just with considerably more layers on) has a nice sense of coming full circle. 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. Falken hasn’t changed that much but we certainly have.
Spirits are high, and we’re tackling the cold brilliantly. It’s currently 9°C, with a wind chill of 4°C, and the system is simple: constant rotations, hot drinks, plenty of laughs, and making sure we’re all looking after one another.
The resilience this group has shown has been nothing short of incredible, and I couldn’t be prouder to be part of it.
So we’re making the most of this final push. The last spray in the face. The last surf down a wave. The last reef. The last night watch. Even the last pumping of the heads (although I don’t think anyone will miss that one).
We’re soaking up every moment before heading back to “normality,” appreciating nature at its rawest and feeling incredibly lucky that it has allowed us to experience 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.
Alex
View more passage logs
The Human Factor
Thus our existence slowly reverted to a much simpler form of being. We start to notice the smaller things, we start looking up and around, we start observing our thoughts. Sailing can be a great social accelerator. Sharing hardship and milestones, friendships are born and evolve at a speed that would seem impossible from land. And after those three weeks spent with you, I am getting ready to leave our vessel with the profound conviction that those bonds will stay with us for the rest of our lives.
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.