spinnaker
58º 13.4’ N 010º 55.7’ E
August 5, 2024 | 58º 13.4’ N 010º 55.7’ E
It is 1830 on FALKEN. Mitch and Joe have just finished up dishes and everyone is up and hanging in the cockpit. You can feel the excitement of landfall in the air. The day has been one of those magical days you don’t often get on a passage, when the temperature is just right, the sun is out, and the boat is cruising along under full sails! I was asleep until 1300 today, waking up to the crew clapping hands. The spinnaker was successfully hoisted and is still flying. The crew were either very quiet, or I was sleeping hard—most likely the latter, as this was the first time many of the crew flew a spinnaker.
The wind has continued to drop throughout the day and is now down to 7-9 kts of true wind, sailing towards the Swedish coast at a comfortable 7 kts. The waves have laid down and we are floating on a magic carpet. We’ll see how long we can keep the spinnaker before the wind drops completely.
There has been a lot of traffic today. It started this morning with the Danish fishing fleet coming out towards us, and after that, plenty of ships, ferries, and more fishing boats to cross paths with. Not a single time have we had to change course though. We are about 8 nm off the Swedish coast now, aiming towards Smögen, hoping to get a space at the dock (very unlikely in the peak of the summer), or an anchorage nearby. We will then continue the passage, sailing along the coast down to Marstrand on Tuesday or Wednesday.
- Mia
mia@59-north.com
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The Penultimate Blog from Adrienne II
After 20 days, and 3000+ nautical miles, we're back on land. The motley crew of Adrienne II, consisting of 7 happy amateurs supported by 3 professionals, have completed an epic journey many dream of but few realize. So much of this trip has been about being present - with nature, with each other, with this boat. My biggest takeaway from this trip is the amazing crossing of the ITCZ (Inter Tropical Convergence Zone). We all hope you've enjoyed the blog as much as we've enjoyed creating it.
Mother Nature, you’ve outdone yourself!
It’s been a great experience to have a non-traditional trans-Atlantic, as it’s been packed with genuinely cool features. The Doldrums!! A place sailors have been talking about for centuries. The unpredictability is what made it such an exhilarating experience. While some might be frightened or alarmed by this kind of weather, I was embodied with a sense of calm and awe. There’s something wildly beautiful about being reminded how small you are, while feeling so incredibly alive.
A Heavenly High
As you have probably figured out at this point, the drug of choice on board is, of course, celestial navigation- an art which has hooked offshore sailors for centuries. Once addicted, navigators will emerge from down below only to get their fixes two times per day, and spend the rest of their days and nights down below doing complex spherical mathematics. On Adrienne II, our skipper is our dealer. I must confess that I myself gave in to the strange urge which I’ve felt witnessing my crewmates practice this fine art, and yesterday felt an amazing sensation as I was able to wield the sextant for the first time and with it, bring down the tip of our starboard spreader to the top of our front sprayhood, presicely measuring the angle between the two (35deg, 38,8’ min). This afternoon, Naxo then showed me how to get my fix from the very sun itself - and I now fear there is no turning back.