MANY FIRSTS ONBOARD FALKEN
0017 UTC | 21 05.69’ N 108 10.91’ W
Sailing
As I type this blog, Jake is cooking risotto for dinner; it is his first time cooking a meal for everyone at sea. It smells delicious. We’ve had many firsts so far on this trip, and it’s only day two.
Early last night as the full moon peeked out from the clouds and we drifted further offshore, Lloyd experienced being out of sight of land on a boat for the first time. Jakes, Christine, and a few others experienced their first full night at sea with a full moon peeking through the clouds. It was so bright you might have convinced me it was still daytime.
We had dolphins jumping during the night watch, maybe five or six but we told Marella it was closer to 100. As the sun came up and the coffee was set to brew, we managed a few hours of slow sailing. Soon enough the wind died, the motor came on, and the fishing line went out. We practiced reefing and reviewed the IRPCSs; we have a crew that’s passionate about good seamanship.
Just as I settled down into an afternoon nap, it was “fish on” and time to join the fun. Jake reeled in a beautiful Mahi with an assist from Mary with the gaff. To quote him directly, “Mary looked like she came out of a war zone.” We all felt pride in our skippers grit, and then suggested she hose off.
Another first came when Mary taught me how to fillet the fish. It went pretty well but it was clear which pieces were better off chopped up for ceviche…
Although I didn’t manage to convince any of the crew to write the first blog post at sea, Jake's agreed to be my co-author and provided all the ideas. The last thing he wanted me to note was how well we all mesh as a team. We’ve only been at sea for a little over one full day now, but as Marella shared during Glums and Glows, it feels as though we’ve known each other forever.
Motor is off, sails are full, all is well.
// Delaney
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Shooting Stars & Turtle Logs
Day three out of Ketchikan and FALKEN is running wing on wing down the outside of Vancouver Island. The temptation is to lie back in the cockpit and spend the night watching for shooting stars, but a diligent watch is always the first priority. So we keep a sharp eye out while the shooting stars keep us company through the night. The wildlife keeps coming: humpback and minke whales, five mola molas, dolphins, and a black-footed albatross. We are all feeling lucky for such conditions!
Pot dodging and whale watching
Duncan got us up to eleven knots at one point! The Ferriers also logged our first Orca sighting on their 3am-6am watch! This morning is a gift as the temps are just right and we finally have some blue sky and plenty of sunshine. It was a glorious few hours sailing before it inevitably died as forecast. I live in hope that by sunset tonight we’ll be back sailing as we emerge out of the lee of the island and the wind will be more westerly which lends itself to a better sailing angle.
We are off!
After two days of introductions, safety briefings and boat procedures we have departed Ketchikan. We are currently making a whopping 3.3 knots as there is very little wind in Nichols Passage. Adam fed us well last night with a delicious shrimp curry and Duncan was the winner of a sporty game of the card version Monopoly. With the scenic views and light wind it's quite peaceful out here.