Sunday, June 22, 2025 | Upwind Battle
Splash BANG
Over the last several days, FALKEN has been beating upwind due north, steadily closing the distance between us and Hawaii. Everyone is delighted by the upwind sailing, both above and below deck. Alex is often heard remarking that it is his favorite point of sail. I assume it is because of the fun surprises he gets while the boat rides up and down the swells, smashing her bow into the waves. Like the time he was in the head during a moment of relative calm, then suddenly sideways and frantically pumping to escape disaster. Or the time he was cozied in his bed, enjoying a fresh breeze from his open hatch, when Istvan drove the boat directly into a crashing wave for the sheer glee of it. A deluge of water rained down on Alex, causing him to laugh and bounce with delight.
The best of the surprises happened just last night. Around 9:30 pm, everyone on the boat heard a BANG loud enough to penetrate through industrial strength earplugs and the noise-canceling technology of Apple AirPods Max. As the boat was bounding along, the pin holding the refrigerator closed had been strained to the point of collapse. Jake dealt the final blow. He claims he delicately touched it and suddenly the fridge came flying out of the wall and across the room. Only Mary was there to witness, however. The two of them muddled through a cascade of cucumbers and attempted to restore the fridge to its rightful place. Their efforts, however, were futile. It now lives under the galley table.
So we endure the endless delight of upwind sailing. Onward to Hawaii!
Tara
Write your comments below and I’ll forward them to the boat with the daily update :) - Mia (shore support)
FALKENCrew
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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.