06:00 UTC | 41°13.5N 156°40.4W
Sing-A-Longing
Good morning from Falken!
Today is set to be the calmest day of our trip so far, waves subdued, wind veering off more south-east, light clouds. All that means we’re going around the center of the high pressure system that was our target since the departure. What an exhilarating ride it has been, beating upwind non-stop directly north for 6 straight days!
I had a good sleep last night, ready for 6am watch. During the watch Daniel and I did a deck walk this morning to check that everything is in its place (it was). Jim also took out his 360 camera for some shots. Adam and Zoe (happy birthday!) keeping us good company with lessons and chats.
What ahead of us is a mostly downwind sail to Prince Rupert, but a very exciting one. Last night we got weather debrief from Alex about a low pressure from the Bering sea sending whiplashes from north-west, plus some uncertainty about how the high pressure moves closer to Prince Rupert. This makes it an interesting few days going fast and closely watching the weather, and I’m very much looking forward to it.
The crew is happy, everyone seems to be getting good rest, enjoying watches and time in between. Some unpacked sleeping bags and took out jumpers and beanies as temperatures keep dropping each night. Dinner time is always a highlight of the day - hearty meal feels so great at sea, and sharing stories of the day brings everyone closer as we progress in our journey.
Onward to Prince Rupert!
Nikolay
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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.