Pre-Departure

2024-6 | FALKEN | Jamaica-Cuba
Emily Caruso
Emily Caruso
Passage Blog
Monday, April 15, 2024
Having reached Jamaica in remarkable time, given the almost perfect sailing conditions, the crew departed today but not before a number of mini adventures shoreside. Errol Flynn Marina was clearly once an aspirational destination and, while still very pretty and refreshingly quiet, it has clearly lacked investment and attention in recent years. Nonetheless, the showers and toilets are really very nice, and the marina still has a small swimming pool, a great laundry room, and even a private adjoining beach which is simply stunning.

After recovering for a couple of days beneath the palm trees and swimming in the aquamarine waters synonymous with Jamaica, we finished our adventure with a day of visiting local beauty spots in an air-conditioned minibus. Our very own 59º North apprentice Natalie, who has Jamaican roots, guided us to some truly spectacular destinations including Reach Falls, The Blue Lagoon, and Frenchman’s Cove. We stopped for lunch at Boston Bay, jerk capital of the world (apparently), and finished with a brief stop at the craft market before arriving back to Falken, both satisfied and inspired by our whistle-stop tour of the northeast corner of this stunning island.

It was a sad goodbye this morning as ever, but on we go as we begin our preparations for our next adventure to Cuba.
- Emily

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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!

8/8/2026
Shooting Stars & Turtle Logs

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.

Mary Vaughan-Jones
7/8/2026
Pot dodging and whale watching

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.

6/8/2026
We are off!