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
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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.
Passages and Purposes
As of today, Falken has taken us over 1800nm across the North Pacific. We’ve learned about water-makers, starter motors, furling, taking in and letting out reefs, easing and grinding, weather and wind, helming by course and by wind angles, and the difference between rest and sleep. For now, the latest challenge is to stay in the moment. The memories we’ve made here are priceless, even if we only connected for a few moments on our various paths in this world. So few people get this opportunity to “go dark” and live simply for a moment.
Baptism Off Ka’ena Point
For the ancient Hawaiians, O’ahu was the gathering place. On day one of Falcon’s passage to British Columbia, we were to pass this headland. In short order, the winds built to well over 30 knots on the beam. Below deck I took a seat on the low side and became drenched in sweat. I had finally rounded Ka’ena point.