Friday, June 20, 2025 | It’s 19:40 and I am on the helm again. The sun is well set, as the first hundred or so stars are making themselves visible. A so far moonless and nearly cloudless sky promises excellent star watching as the night progresses. We have 22 kts apparent wind at 50 degrees on a starboard tack, with relatively calm seas. We race ahead at nearly 10 kts, with the running backstay singing “Wooooooo” in my ear, confirming we are well set for the conditions. I am jockeying a racehorse, as Jim and Stacy (my Watch-Mates) sit nearby in darkness with their own thoughts, but at this time, FALKEN is under my control.
It hasn’t been this way in recent days, as we motored through the doldrums, in clouds and occasional rain while putting up with confused winds that added nothing to our progress or our comfort (hot and humid, and unable to open hatches for ventilation). Last night on midnight watch, the significant rain had me in full fowlies and my Dubarrys. Perhaps personally over canvassed, at about 00:50, the winds came, and all at once. Two minutes later it was 18 kts on the beam, the rain was gone, the motor went off, and we were back in business at about 00:52. Open the vents in the rain gear, and hold on tight—it’s going to get bumpy. We found the trade winds.
The Big Dipper has been visible after sunset since we departed Tahiti 13 days ago, but my friend Polaris has only been visible this week, reminding me that I am in my native hemisphere and getting closer to our destination. Oahu is 600 miles ahead, and as long as the clouds cooperate, I can follow him nearly all the way to Waikiki.
This experience is really something—visceral and introspective, while at the same time communal and participatory. Being my 4th leg with 59-North, I love this experience and would consider this the best trip yet. I look forward to discovering what my future adventures on this good ship will bring me.
- Adam Baker | FALKEN Crew
Write your comments below and I’ll forward it to the boat with the daily update :) - Mia (shore support)
crew@59-north.com
View more passage logs
Ketch us if you Kan
Falken is soon to carry on our preferred route of South, back to (hopefully) warmer climates. We’re all excited to set off and see more of this wild landscape as we head down to Victoria. A thermal trough over Vancouver combined with an offshore high pressure creating funneling NW’ly winds means it is due to be pretty fruity on the 9th. This passage is just under 600 miles, relatively short for Falken, but I’m sure we’ll be kept entertained with dramatic scenery, wildlife and weather!
Final Blog
Falken and her crew arrived safely into port last night around 8pm boat time, 10pm Prince Rupert time. Some spicy weather was anticipated, but luckily the 35kt gusts and 2.5 meter waves were no match for this expert crew. We had an exceptionally smooth docking, despite it being Alex's first time parking this year (!). We all agreed that this was a very special group of people—I for one am so impressed with how everyone stayed so positive, helpful, and appreciative of humor despite an arguably challenging passage. We'll all return home significantly saltier than we were when we left, a mark of a passage properly sailed.
Lessons and a Gift
The biggest lesson is the helm. The lesson here is that even if you don't think you can do it over and over again with no sleep, cold and damp, it has to be done and so it can be done. Flying fish are cool, dolphins are really really cool, but the coolest of them all are the whales. And most of all Alex: "Find your center Carla. Always know where your center is so you can come back to it". He means the helm but it applies to life as well.