0129UT | 49 43.96’N 127 58.40’W
Sailing
Ahoy Shipmates!
Day three out of Ketchikan and FALKEN is running wing on wing down the outside of Vancouver Island.
As the sun sets in a cascade of fire and Venus appears low in the sky to starboard, the magic of a clear night at sea settles over us. The wind fills in as we round Cape St. James into the open ocean.
With not a cloud in the sky and the sliver of a moon not yet up, the stars dominate, every constellation sharp above us. The only sound is the following waves carrying us along as we wander south.
The temptation is to lie back in the cockpit and spend the night watching for shooting stars, but a diligent watch is always the first priority. We are in prime fishing boat territory, and not all of them are marked on AIS. So we keep a sharp eye out while the shooting stars keep us company through the night.
After a good sleep I draw the lucky watch that catches the sunrise. The wind has clocked round, and we work to set the pole sailing wing on wing, making a steady 8knts. The day is clear, with visibility all along the coast of Vancouver Island. The wildlife keeps coming: humpback and minke whales, five mola molas, dolphins, and a black-footed albatross.
And one round log. I swear it looked just like a turtle.
As the smells waft out of the galley and the crew gathers for dinner. We are all feeling lucky for such conditions!
Hold Fast, Virginia
P.S. Duncan says, “Hi, Nana!”
Fun fact of the day! Nautical miles are different from land miles because…
Land miles: Rooted in ancient Roman history, a statute mile originally came from 1,000 double-steps (paces) of a Roman soldier. It was later set at a flat 5,280 feet.
Nautical miles: Developed for marine and celestial navigation, a nautical mile is mathematically tied to the Earth’s circumference. It represents 1/60th of a degree (one minute) of latitude — about 1.15 statute miles, or 1,852 metres.
Virginia Marcy
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Shooting Stars & Turtle Logs
Day three out of Ketchikan and FALKEN is running wing on wing down the outside of Vancouver Island. The temptation is to lie back in the cockpit and spend the night watching for shooting stars, but a diligent watch is always the first priority. So we keep a sharp eye out while the shooting stars keep us company through the night. The wildlife keeps coming: humpback and minke whales, five mola molas, dolphins, and a black-footed albatross. We are all feeling lucky for such conditions!
Pot dodging and whale watching
Duncan got us up to eleven knots at one point! The Ferriers also logged our first Orca sighting on their 3am-6am watch! This morning is a gift as the temps are just right and we finally have some blue sky and plenty of sunshine. It was a glorious few hours sailing before it inevitably died as forecast. I live in hope that by sunset tonight we’ll be back sailing as we emerge out of the lee of the island and the wind will be more westerly which lends itself to a better sailing angle.
We are off!
After two days of introductions, safety briefings and boat procedures we have departed Ketchikan. We are currently making a whopping 3.3 knots as there is very little wind in Nichols Passage. Adam fed us well last night with a delicious shrimp curry and Duncan was the winner of a sporty game of the card version Monopoly. With the scenic views and light wind it's quite peaceful out here.