Sail Training!
32°44.0N 118°19.4W
November 19, 2025 | 32°44.0N 118°19.4W, 18:30 Local Time
After a windless night drifting between Santa Catalina and San Clemente Islands, we finally managed to find the wind! As soon as the breeze filled in, Adam had just wrapped up his great lesson on boat-keeping and manuals, and it was time to make the most of the new downwind conditions. We pulled out the whiteboard and, step by step, hoisted our spinnaker.
It was awesome to see everyone get involved and to have the pink spinnaker flying for a few hours before we dropped it. Once it was down, we carried on with a quick lesson on wing-on-wing sailing and a couple of gybes. Pretty full-on!
During our glums and glows, many of the crew highlighted the amazing company onboard—everyone has been absolutely fantastic and hands-on—and also the company off the boat, with whales and dolphins constantly accompanying us.
Thanks, Channel Islands!
Alex | FALKEN Skipper
laline96@gmail.com
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!