Sail Training!

2025-13 | FALKEN | Ensenada-San Diego | Sail Training
Alex Laline Ruiz
Alex Laline Ruiz

laline96@gmail.com

Passage Blog
32°44.0N 118°19.4W
Wednesday, November 19, 2025

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

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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.

22/8/2026
Seasickness

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.

21/8/2026
Dolphins and Bioluminescence

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!

20/8/2026
Greetings from Lala Lemonshark