The moment has finally arrived. The crew is all aboard, and it was such a joy meeting everyone in person for the first time. Spirits are high, energy on top, and everyone is excited to throw the lines and be underway. Over the past days, we have made Adrianne ready for her next Atlantic crossing. The staff and crew have gone through the introduction of safety briefings and the rig check. We stumbled upon a few small surprises, most notably the inner jib halyard that didn’t quite want to cooperate. After a few trips up and down the mast and some solution discussions, we managed to put together a solid provisional solution that will hold for the passage.
With the boat now ready, provisions stowed away, and the crew excited, we will soon let loose the lines holding us to the pier to sail away into the horizon. Soon Brazil will be left behind and our next step on land will be in Gran Canaria. We will soon settle into the rhythm of watches and the ocean that lies ahead of us.
We will see you soon!
Hold Fast,
Vilgot Hjort | Former and current Apprentice
View more passage logs
HMS Night Watch Party
Wing on wing worked well until the wind shifted then the helm became the cone of despair for our night watch crew of three (H, M and S) Alex made the decision to drop the pole, shifting wing on wing to a close reach. Wind increased to low teens and speed picked up to a flying pace. Day spent wandering toward Ensenada. Alex, Adam and David got us into port under another starry night.
No Kitemares Today
After a night marked by sudden wind accelerations peeling off Point Conception, and a vibrant, pulsating sky blistered with shooting stars, the off-watch woke to commotion on the foredeck. The wind had gone light and the swell had tapered just enough to raise the spinnaker. The sail filled with an urgent pop, the sheet strained and Falken charged down the face of the next wave. By mid-day, we doused the spinnaker and set our minds to the more precise task of safely punching through a gap in the notorious Cortez Bank. The border to Mexico looms ahead.
The California coast
We had a very lively first day of sailing with steady winds between 25 and 30 kn gusting to mid 30s. All of the crew got experience at difficult downwind helming as we covered 200 nautical miles in the first 24 hours. This morning brings winds in the teens and calmer seas. The sun is still shining, and the green monster has been slayed by those afflicted!