22:00 | 04° 39.2’N 094°04.04’W
Sailing
Oh, The Places You’ll Go. A Book by Dr. Seuss.
I find myself making passage between exotic locations on Falken for the 5th time. Blessed with great friends and having been in the right place at the right time a couple times, I have come to deeply treasure this type of exploration and adventure.
Trips with 59º North build confidence and experience doing things that might seem difficult or dangerous to those reluctant to take the plunge, but the most valuable lesson I have learned on all these trips is that planning and preparation make these trips routine, but with a plan for all types of emergency should they arise. I had no worry/jitters/concern prior to departure, just anticipating getting settled, hauling anchor, and sailing a reach for a following sea. (It was a little more upwind than a reach, but this story makes the “Southern Cross” lyrics work).
On these trips, we have young and old, new sailors, and old salts. Everyone can learn something from our peers (as well as the staff), and has something to share. I am often asked by others who can’t imagine doing this if I know people on the boat. The literal answer is almost always ‘no’. However, over these 5 trips, I have come to understand that those that embark on this type of offshore expedition have many of the same qualities and values, so they are in fact people I know, but haven’t met yet. The same is true with this crew today.
As of now, we are anticipating bearing off from South-West to West-South-West, after successfully “Making for the Trades on the outside, and the downhill run to(wards) Papeete”.
-Adam Baker
Adam Baker
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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!