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
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.
Among the Channel Islands
In the wind shadow of SoCal we had a restful night with calm conditions ghosting through smooth seas. We’re getting ourselves in position for spicy weather tonight once we round Cape Conception, the seas build and the breeze freshens. It will be an upwind sail into an acceleration zone along a formable coast with few bailout points, Morro Bay being one. The crew is really gelling with lots of smiles and laughter on deck. Monterey is in our sights!
Day Two Delights
The seas were completely glassy with a gentle swell as we approached San Clemente Island, the southernmost of the Channel Islands. Everyone jumped in and marvelled at the lovely temperature and crystal clear, indigo-colored water. Before long the wind started to pick up, and we happily unfurled the jib and were sailing again. The afternoon has been gorgeous, cruising along at 5-6 kts, close hauled on a port tack in a gentle breeze, Catalina Island in the distance on our starboard side, and everyone is happy.