summer camp on steroids

January 28, 2025 | 20:43 UTC | Sleep-Eat-Sail-REPEAT

Hello from the mid-Atlantic! Day 12 at sea, 2150 nm sailed, about 860 nm to go.

Sleep-Eat-Sail-REPEAT. It has been over a week since we have seen another boat. It is truly amazing to be on this small sailing vessel, surrounded by thousands of miles of ocean. Meanwhile, our entire life is happening on board FALKEN. The 11 of us have our daily routines that revolve around the watch system. We all take turns at the helm, we sleep, we eat, we clean, we learn, we support each other—all under the expert and caring supervision of our Skipper Emily and First Mate Mia.

The days and nights blend together into one continuous watch schedule. In this intense and close environment, you get to know your crewmates very well—like summer camp on steroids. We are people from different countries and experiences, connected by our love of sailing and adventure. Deep friendships are formed by this shared unique opportunity to sail across the Atlantic Ocean.

As the saying goes, do something every day that scares you. Try to imagine: 2 am, pitch black, sustained winds at 25 knots, gusts approaching 40 knots, ocean swell at 3m—there you are at the helm, hand steering this 65’ sailboat safely towards Antigua. White-knuckled, you wonder, what am I doing here? After your watch, you crash into your bunk with a great sense of accomplishment. Each time at the helm, feeling more confident.

As we are in the final stretch of our passage, there is a lot of chat about cocktails, beer, wine, and FOOD! Mia has done a superb job with provisions and meal planning, but of course the fresh provisions are now gone. What I wouldn’t do for a crunchy and juicy apple right now.

I am truly grateful to have this opportunity and thank you to my family and friends for their support. It has been a once in a lifetime experience. Thank you to 59 North for their professionalism and for creating this exceptional opportunity.

Thanks to all friends and family for the comments on the blog! We read them daily at dinner and it gives us encouragement to push through the final miles. We miss you all. We will all have lots of stories and photos to share when we get home—so many, so brace yourselves! :)

Jillian
Oakville, Ontario, Canada