06:50 UTC | 48°08.3N 146°00.8W
Surfing!
As of today, Falken has taken us over 1800nm across the North Pacific. We’ve had winds from 6-36kts, gorgeous hot sun to frigid wet fog, seemingly endless squalls sailing upwind, and now a low pressure system chasing us downwind. 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. Downwind sailing with swells and surfing is the latest challenge for us, but we’ve been through adversity before… and we have phenomenal instruction with laughter as the salve that heals our egos.
For now, all is well.
Prince Rupert seems to be within reach. Today, I wonder, how did this trip go by so quickly? I did miss a few days of it in my berth with seasickness, but I thought it would be longer. After all, I’ve been planning for this passage for 18 months. How can it be almost over? Only a few days ago, I wondered if we’d ever hit a thousand miles, and now we’re pushing toward two. As we look over the horizon tonight, I’m starting to to think about the next plans, the kids, jobs, and commitments we will all be returning to. Each of us has a life to re-enter, thousands of emails to dig through, and will soon return home, still salty and damp, to our respective “daily grinds.”
Those things are coming.
For now, the latest challenge is to stay in the moment. I want to savor the color of the sea, the purest breaths of sea air, the success of making it down a wave, and the challenge of the next one. I want to learn more of what Falken has to teach me for these last few days. I want to laugh as we wave to one another coming up the companionway. I want to wake up from a rest for a warm dinner on deck.
The memories we’ve made here are priceless, even if we only connected for a few moments on our various paths in this world. I’m grateful to have been a part of this crew of stranger-friends and to discover the larger purpose of our meeting here for this passage. So few people get this opportunity to “go dark” and live simply for a moment.
Just a few more days, Falken.
With gratitude overwhelming,
Thanks and Peace.\
Corey
View more passage logs
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!