Upwind Beat
Saturday, June 7, 2025 | Papeete, Tahiti
I’m sitting in the nav station while the crew are having some coffee on deck. Checklists are done, briefings are completed, and all that’s left to do is refuel before we head out to sea. I always have mixed emotions before slipping lines; it doesn’t matter if it’s for a day-sail around the Solent or to cross the Pacific, that pre-departure feeling is always there. I know that once we hoist the sails and set a heading, all the nerves and anxiety will disappear instantly, but until then I have learned to cope with these feelings. The crew are all very excited to be sailing in these waters. We have a few stoppage options on the way to Honolulu and an Equator crossing to get through first, but OMG, what a place to be doing what we love the most! We’ll keep you all updated as we go.
Lots of love,
Alex & the crew
laline96@gmail.com
View more passage logs
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!