Pre-Departure

2024-2 | FALKEN | Las Palmas-Cape Verde
Emily Caruso
Emily Caruso
Passage Blog
Saturday, January 20, 2024
There can be no better feeling than that of watching a new team come together, except perhaps when the team in question is about to embark on one of life’s last true adventures. For many sailors, the opportunity to push the boundaries from coastal sailing to embarking upon an ocean passage is beyond comprehension. So when the chance arises, it isn’t a surprise to find a group of like-minded individuals that bond very quickly to form a very natural nautical family.

We went sailing today and it was funny, exciting, fulfilling, and telling. The weather dictates a Tuesday departure towards Cape Verde, which promises some idyllic sailing conditions, so the next couple of days will comprise theory sessions and preparation.

The sound of laughter and great conversation emanated from below the decks of FALKEN this evening, and I can’t wait for the journey ahead.

— Emily

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Kärt barn har många namn

A dear child goes by many a name, or as we say in Swedish "kärt barn har många namn". This is the case for many a person, but also some species, not least the Mahi mahi, which also goes by dolphin fish, golden mackerel, and dorado, among others. Soon, we could see the fish jump, a hundred feet or so behind the boat, and as I kept reeling, a beautiful Mahi appeared under the surface. Manot showed us how to clean and fillet it, and after a complete team effort two large fillets are now in the freezer of Adrienne II.

6/10/2026
Kärt barn har många namn

Cast off the lines

When we awoke it was overcast but the Brazilian sun quickly burned the clouds away and we were left with blue skies. We reviewed some safety procedures, cleaned the boat and had an exciting Person Overboard (POB) recovery. Once we were underway spirits soared as we pointed the bow toward the Canary Islands. As I write this we are heading upwind and dealing with all that involves, and working into our first watches. It is hot, a bit bumpy but we are sailing!!

4/10/2026
Cast off the lines

People Get Ready!

The last three days have been an intense (and intensely hot) period of discovery, practice, and planning. Because Adrienne II is not a 59N boat, there's been some extra setup and coordination needed including rigging all the sails that were out for repairs before we arrived. Its been a blast working alongside the 59N team getting to help them work things out on a less familiar boat in real time. Tomorrow morning we'll run through our Person Over Board training as the final pre-departure task, cast off and head out. Can't know all that it will be, but its going to be a great adventure out in the vast world with some pretty fantastic people.

3/10/2026
People Get Ready!