savoring every moment

Emily, Vilgot, and I have been taking turns writing the daily blog. During last night’s dinner, when we shared the comments from the blogs, we told the crew that they can chip in and write as well, and we had some eager voices. Derek got the keyboard out last night and started typing, and over the next days the crew will be sharing what it’s like to sail our 65-foot machine across the ocean!

-Mia

January 22, 2025, 12:30 UTC | Savoring Every Moment

There is a point on an extended passage when everyone on board settles into the unique rhythm of time on the ocean and becomes untethered from the usual routines of our lives on shore. Here on FALKEN, we are now firmly established in the watch routine: three four-hour watches from 1800 to 0600 local time, and two six-hour watches from 0600 to 1800. On watch, we take turns to helm the boat, typically for 30-minute rotations. It is refreshing to find that the autohelm is not used, and that we have the opportunity to collectively hand-steer this magnificent yacht across the Atlantic Ocean. Think about that for a moment. It affords all of us the chance to get a real feel for this boat and to hone our helming skills.

Last night, the conditions allowed us to steer for some hours by the glow of the stars, before the clouds came across the night sky and our focus shifted to the compass. Every hour, as is typical on yachts, we complete the ship’s log, recording the essential information that marks our progress across the Atlantic: latitude, longitude, compass course, speed, and the like—all the details that are now the focus of our attention.

Of course, there is plenty of time on watch to chat and to meditate on the expanse of the ocean, and we are all getting to know more about each other as the days progress, our daily routine punctuated by dinner at 1800 local time—an opportunity for everyone on board to come together and share their perspectives. We are savoring every moment of our time on the ocean.

-Derek, crew on FALKEN | Trans-Atlantic 2025