Upwind Beat
Tuesday, 29 May, 2025 | Upwind Beat to Tahiti
Well, here we are beating back from Bora Bora to Tahiti. So far this year I have sailed over 8,500 nm on FALKEN and today was the first time I’ve tacked her. It’s interesting because mostly I think I prefer downwind sailing when the boat is flatter and you don’t need crampons to get to the snack cupboard, but upwind has its advantages. The main sheet being relatively safe is a big one. There’s a sense that in open water and low traffic areas you can let the crew run the deck when upwind without the constant fear of an accidental gybe and subsequent preventer failure. I also believe that the corkscrew movement of the boat surfing downwind is more likely to induce sea sickness in those prone, and that despite the heel, the overall motion of upwind dynamics can be easier to predict.
I believe this cruising passage has been the first of its kind for Falken, as we have voyaged fewer miles but instead enjoyed time ashore and in stunning settings. Bora Bora did not disappoint for the crew, who filled every moment with activities both land and water based. We could have explored one of the other destinations in the Society Islands had it not been for a large swell that pushed up from the south, with predictions of up to 6m waves, while we were nicely protected inside of the reef.
The adventure is not yet over though, and we plan to spend tonight in Cooks Bay, Moorea, a stunning anchorage that I have visited previously and that exhibited some of the most stunning sunsets I have seen to date. Our dinner reservation is in place and, given the shorter nature of the trip, it seemed fitting to return to Tahiti early on the final day in time for a morning clean up ahead of crew departure. This will be my last night sail aboard Falken this year and I intend to make the most of it, with or without the crampons.
– Emily
EmilyCaruso
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HMS Night Watch Party
Wing on wing worked well until the wind shifted then the helm became the cone of despair for our night watch crew of three (H, M and S) Alex made the decision to drop the pole, shifting wing on wing to a close reach. Wind increased to low teens and speed picked up to a flying pace. Day spent wandering toward Ensenada. Alex, Adam and David got us into port under another starry night.
No Kitemares Today
After a night marked by sudden wind accelerations peeling off Point Conception, and a vibrant, pulsating sky blistered with shooting stars, the off-watch woke to commotion on the foredeck. The wind had gone light and the swell had tapered just enough to raise the spinnaker. The sail filled with an urgent pop, the sheet strained and Falken charged down the face of the next wave. By mid-day, we doused the spinnaker and set our minds to the more precise task of safely punching through a gap in the notorious Cortez Bank. The border to Mexico looms ahead.
The California coast
We had a very lively first day of sailing with steady winds between 25 and 30 kn gusting to mid 30s. All of the crew got experience at difficult downwind helming as we covered 200 nautical miles in the first 24 hours. This morning brings winds in the teens and calmer seas. The sun is still shining, and the green monster has been slayed by those afflicted!