0210 10º 00.88’S 126º 28.29’W
Sailing
Last night on my 3-6AM watch I saw two shooting stars. The sky has been clear and there isn't much of a moon so the stars have been incredible. I think my favorite part of being out here is the night sailing and the night sky. The pleasant evening temperatures make night sailing even more enjoyable.
We saw our second boat of the entire trip last night, a cat. She left Galapagos the same day we did so she should be days ahead of us. How embarrassing for her. But as we all know the definition of a sailboat race is two boats on the water... 😊
Our skipper Alex was ready to put up the spinnaker this morning. I think we were all excited for a new challenge. We have been sailing wing on wing (donkey ears according to Alex) for days, using the Yankee headsail attached to the spinnaker pole. With everyone on deck Alex directed us and up she went... A HUGE beautiful pink symmetrical spinnaker. It was our watch so each of the three of us had a turn at the helm. With the 2 meters swells and gusts it was fun and challenging. I must admit I was happy Alex hung around to coach us. After a couple of hours we took her down... deciding the swells and gusts were a bit much. A very different experience from flying spinnaker on the small Columbia River boats at home. We will put her up again tomorrow.
I have to say Alex, Mia and Zoe have been wonderful! Positive, calm, great at explaining concepts... and patient!
It is also fun to see how a group of people that started out not knowing each other have settled into a comfortable routine. The good natured joking, the laughter... you would think we have know each other for years.
We are celebrating three digits this evening. A party celebrating the fact we have less than 1000 miles to go. We are supposed to dress up! Who brings fancy clothes on a Sailboat? We alse get a shower. Normally showers are Tuesdays and Fridays but today is Saturday so we get 2 shower days in a row! It is funny how simple pleasures feel like luxuries and are really appreciated.
In the background I hear people taking about the first thing they are going to have when they get off the boat, or when they get home. Many of the wants are centered around a cold beverage with ice, salads, fresh produce... a favorite meal... again simple pleasures.
Not that anyone is ready... Yet... for our adventure to end.
Beven P.
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Final Blog
Falken and her crew arrived safely into port last night around 8pm boat time, 10pm Prince Rupert time. Some spicy weather was anticipated, but luckily the 35kt gusts and 2.5 meter waves were no match for this expert crew. We had an exceptionally smooth docking, despite it being Alex's first time parking this year (!). We all agreed that this was a very special group of people—I for one am so impressed with how everyone stayed so positive, helpful, and appreciative of humor despite an arguably challenging passage. We'll all return home significantly saltier than we were when we left, a mark of a passage properly sailed.
Lessons and a Gift
The biggest lesson is the helm. The lesson here is that even if you don't think you can do it over and over again with no sleep, cold and damp, it has to be done and so it can be done. Flying fish are cool, dolphins are really really cool, but the coolest of them all are the whales. And most of all Alex: "Find your center Carla. Always know where your center is so you can come back to it". He means the helm but it applies to life as well.
Making the most of it
This passage has thrown pretty much every atmospheric condition imaginable at us. It reminds us not only of how much we’ve learned, but of how far we’ve literally come since that acceleration zone off the northwest corner of Oahu. The resilience this group has shown has been nothing short of incredible, and I couldn’t be prouder to be part of it. Maybe that’s why it’s the hardest passages we remember the most. Not because they were easy, but because they reminded us what we’re capable of.
