48º 38.8N 125º 09.6W
Sunday, August 10, 2025, 07:30 Local time | 48º 38.8N 125º 09.6W
It was 3 AM, blowing 30 knots, ink-black night before the moonrise. We were about 20 miles off Vancouver Island—a place visited by massive sunfish and rarely anyone else—surfing waves on 65’ FALKEN, hitting speeds of 14 and 15 knots. Regina leaned over and whispered, “From reading the 59 North brochure I wasn’t really sure if they would let ‘us’ sail in these conditions.” The ‘us’ she was referring to was the collective group of sailors huddled in the spray who had never been on a boat this large, going this fast, in conditions this heavy. It was a lot to process.
“Regina, your turn!” Nikki beckoned. It was the moment of truth. About 15 minutes later, Regina had hit a high speed of 14.6! The crew cheered, and there was a collective awe—we were experiencing something very few people ever get to witness. It. Was. Incredible.
Later that night, under a blazing moon, Nikki and Topher both hit 16.2 knots, flying down the breaking swells, hooting with glee. Exhausted from the adrenaline rush and lack of sleep, I crawled into my bunk, knowing that there was no way I would be able to process this experience for days, weeks, or even months. I simply went to sleep with the hunch that this experience had changed the course of history—for all of ‘us’.
- Andy | FALKEN Crew
FALKENCrew
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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.