passage logs & blog
Use the filters to find all logs from a specific boat, passage, category or from a specific author. These are all the passage logs + the blogs (technical shorts and philosophical musing from Andy) on the site. For the 2015-2022 passage log & blog archive, visit archive.59-north.com.
Sail Training!
By Alex. FALKEN Skipper | After a windless night drifting between Santa Catalina and San Clemente Islands, we finally managed to find the wind! As soon as the breeze filled in, Adam had just wrapped up his great lesson on boat-keeping and manuals,
Sail Training!
By Alex. FALKEN Skipper | After a windless night drifting between Santa Catalina and San Clemente Islands, we finally managed to find the wind! As soon as the breeze filled in, Adam had just wrapped up his great lesson on boat-keeping and manuals,
Sail Training!
By Alex. FALKEN Skipper | Yesterday we left Ensenada at around 08:30 in the morning. It was sunny and you could barely feel any wind in your face. We went through the process of hoisting sails and straight away we dived into reefing drills followed by tacking. After 6 reefs and 12 tacks, we decided to settle into the watch system and embrace the night.
Sail Training!
By Alex. FALKEN Skipper | Yesterday we left Ensenada at around 08:30 in the morning. It was sunny and you could barely feel any wind in your face. We went through the process of hoisting sails and straight away we dived into reefing drills followed by tacking. After 6 reefs and 12 tacks, we decided to settle into the watch system and embrace the night.
Departure
By Alex. FALKEN Skipper | After 2 days doing thorough training on shore, learning the systems, doing dry drills and learning about what to look for when purchasing a boat, Falken and her crew are ready for the next stage of this Sail Training: Offshore phase!
Departure
By Alex. FALKEN Skipper | After 2 days doing thorough training on shore, learning the systems, doing dry drills and learning about what to look for when purchasing a boat, Falken and her crew are ready for the next stage of this Sail Training: Offshore phase!
mexico!
By Alex. FALKEN Skipper | As I’m writing this we are finishing cleaning FALKEN. This morning we arrived into Mexico in between the fog in what looked for a while exactly like our arrival into British Columbia. We managed to sail most of the night despite the forecast predicting we would lose all wind by 1am.
Sunshirts on!
By Kristen R. FALKEN Crew | 4 days in and I just took my foulies off for the first time. Coming from the PNW, I thought this passage would be much colder and wetter so the sun shirts, (whooo!) are a welcome reprieve. The flip side of sunshirts is that their need suggests we are getting closer to Mexico and our destination port of Ensenada.
Dolphins & Calm Sea
By Margaret H., FALKEN Crew | The seas have calmed down a lot from last night, giving us a much more comfortable ride as we head east on a starboard tack. A couple hours ago we encountered a pod of 20-25 dolphins leaping from the sea at right angles to us; they passed under the keel and went off towards the open ocean.
sunrise
By Alex, FALKEN Skipper | Yesterday we slipped our lines from St. Francis Yacht Club (thank you Jason for hosting us) and we squeezed past the sandbar of the entrance, hoisted our main and slowly glided with the tide under Golden Gate Bridge. What a view!!
We did it!
By Tim, Adrienne II Mate | We did it!! 3206 nautical miles and 18 days since leaving Salvador, Brazil. Feels like years ago. The perception of time really is different out on the ocean. The days blend into each other as we are awake and sleep in 4-hour increments instead of ’day and night’ as we are used to on land.
The beginning of the end
By Tim, Adrienne II Mate | I listen to the ship’s bell.Tick tock. Tick tock.I’ve never quite understood the landlubbers’ obsession with clocks — seconds, hours, days. For me, it’s the wind that keeps the time, the waves that hold the rhythm of life.
Code Zero
By Brittany, Adrienne II Crew | After a day of motoring and calm glassy seas, and then sailing as much as we could in between the periods of light winds, the wind filled in as the weather models predicted. The Azores high pressure has given us the most gentle and silky seas.
Morning swim
By Jim, Adrienne II Crew | Moonlight, stars, sunrise and sunset - Imagine this... every day for two weeks! Officially, 15 days at sea! 10 people on a boat and more than 2 700 nm has passed underneath the keel.
The Ocean
By Nicole, Adrienne II Crew | To be a sunrise,A golden hue that silently wakes the ocean blue…..
The Life onboard
By Vilgot, Adrienne II Crew | Today is the 14th of October and the 14th day at sea the sky is starting to turn blue and small cloud banks cover the small parts of the blue ocean above us. The ocean beneath us has calmed down the last couple of days and the comforting waves rocks the boat while we make our way upwind towards our destination.
Our first tack
By Andrew, Adrienne II Crew | Storms and headwinds continue to dissipate in front of Adrienne! Despite an active doldrums, we darted through and missed all major weather. With the doldrums behind us, the northeasterly trade winds have built and carried us through the night and all of today on a close reach.
2000 miles sailed
By Lance Adrienne II Crew | We all gathered in the cockpit to celebrate another milestone—2000 nautical miles sailed through the Atlantic. As we enjoyed our 2am 2000-mile cheesecake we reflected how far we have traveled. But really, how far is 2000 mile?
Life At Sea
By David, Adrienne II Mate | The Brazilian heat nearly makes my deck boil. The sun reflects off my polished rigging — I think I even managed to blind one of my neighbors here in Bahia Marina. This time I'm in Salvador. Twice before I’ve sailed to Rio — one of my favorites
Life on the heel
By David, Adrienne II Crew| This day started with another calm morning motoring through the doldrums. We’ve been very lucky to be spared from many squalls during our passage through these latitudes. Life onboard has been quite luxurious some of these days with good food…
Halfway & Wahoo!
By Pete, Adrienne II Crew| Joining Adrienne, I didn’t know what to expect, having no experience offshore and very little sailing experience overall, but after 9 days and over 1500 nautical miles all my expectations have been exceeded. Both in tough ways, experiencing a lot of seasickness for the first few days;
First week offshore!
By Jim, Adrienne II Crew| Wow, first week offshore! Let's take this from the start. We departed from Salvador, after a great skipper meeting, during the afternoon in beautiful and great conditions. Nice wind and some waves (according to Tim not more than a 1m…). After a fantastic pasta carbonara, made by David, we started the night shift.
Greetings from King Neptune!
By Erik, Adrienne II Skipper | At 00:50 this morning (well that’s practically in the middle of the night..) Adrienne crossed the Equator. Wow! The whole crew had gathered in Adrienne’s aft cockpit counting down as we approached N 00° 00.000’ 3-2-1 yeaaayh!! Northern Hemisphere here we come!
1000 miles & carrot cake
By Brittany, Adrienne II Crew | The crew were all smiles last night with some fantastic sailing. It’s great to have the moonlight to guide us, and to light up the squalls so we could easily avoid them. When I was at the helm, a dolphin jumped out of the water right beside me. What a treat. They will forever remind me of my nephew's laugh when he was an infant. It was also nice to have several stars to steer by.
Nausea is no joke
By Nicole, Adrienne II Crew | I am not sure if I will make it through this blog, but I will attempt it. Seasickness is a real deal. Just when you start to feel better, a new fresh wave of it comes. All I want to do is tip my head out the side of the boat, and just wait for whatever wants to come up.
Burgers n’ sunsets
By Andrew, Adrienne II Crew | In some ways the beginning of day 4 was the beginning of our offshore passage. This is because at night on day 3 we could still see the glow of Brazilian cities on the western horizon. All light pollution is now gone.
Pancakes!
By David, 59º North Apprentice | This blog is an ode to my colleague and shipmate Vilgot. Today he whipped up and fried some pancakes for lunch, much to the crew’s delight. With jam and Nutella on top, there wasn’t a happier boat in sight…
First Full Day at Sea
By Lance , ADRIENNE II crew | We are all working into the rhythm of the sea. For some this is dealing with seasickness. The rest of the crew is rallying around those not feeling well to support. And though not all are 100% we are happy to report they are in good spirits and are on an upward trend as their bodies adapting to the constant away of the ocean.
Pre-Departure
By Vilgot, ADRIENNE II Crew | The moment has finally arrived. The crew is all aboard, and it was such a joy meeting everyone in person for the first time. Spirits are high, energy on top and everyone is excited to throw the lines and be underway. Over the past days we have made Adrianne ready for her next Atlantic crossing.
Pre-Departure
By Vilgot, ADRIENNE II Crew | The moment has finally arrived. The crew is all aboard, and it was such a joy meeting everyone in person for the first time. Spirits are high, energy on top and everyone is excited to throw the lines and be underway. Over the past days we have made Adrianne ready for her next Atlantic crossing.
Final Debrief
By Nikki, FALKEN Skipper | Each ‘final debrief’ has its own personality - this one particularly entertaining, as every so often a song would be turned up on the speaker and the girls would launch into a sailing inspired dance. Followed by more roars of laughter, and then back to another grounding, inspiring reflection. Many of the women shared how tough they had found the trip at certain moments, and how empowered they now feel after realizing - wow - “I am stronger than I thought I was.”
Whales, Radar and gratitude
By Nikki, FALKEN Skipper | As the world turned dark grey, the clarity of the top of the mast and anywhere beyond the railings of the boat disappeared we realized that the last part of our trip we actually saw was a wildlife show. Gratitude was the word.
Wanderers
By Hannah, FALKEN crew | At this moment we have sailed 545 miles south at 175 degrees and are currently crossing into the offshore waters beyond California. We are sailing wing and wing down wind, or as the French call it-butterfly-with fair winds and following seas that roll up to 10 feet.
thanks mother nature
By Nikki, FALKEN Skipper | Around mid morning, the fog cleared and the North Westerlies gently started to fill in and by dinner time we turned off the engine and started to sail. It was a wonderful, peaceful, gentle day. Thanks Mother Nature. You are warming us ladies in softly.
Reflecting on the wows
By Nikki, FALKEN Skipper | I’m writing from WOW island (ok I renamed it slightly - Wouwer Island officially). But, it does feel wow! Wow; so beautiful. Wow; so quiet. Wow; we are alone in paradise. I cannot believe somewhere so close to Seattle and Vancouver can be so peaceful, so empty.
Big first day!
By Mia, FALKEN 1st Mate | This passage is one of our ‘All-Women passages’, something we started a few years ago. I remember so well when me, Nikki & Emma planned the first one in 2022 on ICEBEAR, and here we are, on the other side of the world with a group of 11 amazing women ready to set sail in the big ocean!
Hello Victoria! Arrival Day...
By Nikki, FALKEN Skipper | We had all sorts of conditions on this trip. We motored through narrow fjord like passages and gazed upon the remotest of remote landscapes. We sailed in thermal breezes, cutting through dead flat seawater like a knife through butter upwind in 15 knots. Wow does Falken love that.
Top Speed!
By Andy, FALKEN Crew | It was 3AM, blowing 30 knots, ink black night before the moon rise. 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…
Wind or no wind?
By Manot, FALKEN Mate | When we slipped lines two days ago from Prince Rupert two days ago, the wind forecast was not very promising. But looking at the bigger picture, it was clear that we would sail through the border of two bigger weather systems, as well as all the thermal winds that might or might not turn up, depending on cloud cover etc.
ELECTRIC DOLPHINS
By Andre, FALKEN Crew | It’s not often you find a pleasant surprise in a marine head. Last night I giggled as I realized bioluminescent dots were circling the flushing toilet bowl! After I joined the cockpit during night watch, I found our crew appreciating Falken’s bioluminescent and moonlit wake.
Whales!
By Andre, FALKEN Crew | Stereotypical Alaska. We all know that stereotypes can be, at best, unfair and even sometimes downright wrong. This trip is my first time in Alaska and it’s a safe bet that I had some preconceived notions about what Alaskan scenery would be like. And let me tell you, it’s exactly how I imagined.
WILD Alaska!
By Nikki, FALKEN Skipper | Hello from WILD Alaska! Our crew of 11 met at noon yesterday. With only 8 days to explore the rugged shores of our passage between Ketchikan and Victoria, we set off from the dock almost immediately after a quick safety briefing and orientation. It worked out well, because it only started raining once we had slipped!
Pudding
Blog by Stephanie L. FALKEN Crew | Of course I knew I wouldn’t starve on this journey. I did not, however, expect the breadth & quality of the bounty available to us every day. Clear expectations were laid out on the first day aboard. Each crew member is responsible for managing their own breakfast and lunch.
Whale (again!)
Blog by Lovis H. FALKEN Apprentice | Day 11 of the trip from Hawaii to Prince Rupert. This day started as misty as it ended. But out of the blue (actually the white) came a surprise. Another whale! It was alone and we only saw it twice before it returned back into the deep, but still! We think it was a humpback and that it was alone.
Whale!
Blog by Rob W. FALKEN Crew | On Thursday, we continued our course for 140 TWA, eking out the last miles we could from our starboard tack that started back in the trades. By mid-afternoon, we were driving more east than north, and it was time to gybe FALKEN to set us up for our coming approach to the coast.
WHAT TO DO TOMORROW?
Blog by Ken T. FALKEN Crew | More thoughts from the neophyte… A few nights ago as we concluded our evening updates, I remarked, “So what should we do tomorrow?” It garnered a laugh, but as soon as I said it I realized that this, for me, unexpectedly and concisely captured the essence of an undertaking such as this…
Sailing North
Blog by Alex FALKEN Skipper | Another day has gone by as we continue our approach to the west side of the North Pacific High. Our plan is to carry on North for the next couple of days as the high pressure system moves further south, once on the North side of it we should have the right wind angle to put a gybe and start pointing at Dixon Entrance.
ALARM!
Blog by Doug M. FALKEN Crew | Our morning starts with the wind easing to about 12 knots with FALKEN making 7 knots on a deep reach North. The sea has flattened; and, we can see the vastness of the Pacific all around us. Then, an alarm pierces the silence!
Mid Ocean 360
Blog by Tasha S. FALKEN Crew | Upon taking the helm at noon today, the NYC watch team noticed steering issues: looseness in the wheel accompanied by a tremor. Mate Mary quickly diagnosed and fixed one of the issues by adjusting the steering cables; however, the tremor remained. By this time Skipper Alex was up having been awakened by the fixing and remaining tremor.
Champagne Sailing
Blog by Mary, FALKEN Mate | Day 5 of being offshore and the general consensus is that everyone’s settled into the boat life now. We’ve been extremely well treated today, with champagne sailing through nearly smooth seas, and the wind direction veering to tease us with nearly downwind sailing…
2nd Day
Blog by Stephanie L. FALKEN Crew | At sea for almost 2.5 days now. This is our second day of a full watch rotation and we’re all starting to get the feel of the routine now. It’s afternoon now and finally the seas are a bit calmer. We certainly hit the ocean running! We had squalls, intermittent rain and gusts of 35 kts.
Rough start
Blog by Ken. T, FALKEN Crew | Steph & Ken, by FAR the most novice sailors on this trip, notched their first offshore overnight (tho not without suffering a bit - maybe MORE than a bit in Steph’s case - of what we’ll just call “Neptune’s Revenge”)
Hours before departure
FALKEN Crew are all sitting around a table having our last lunch onshore at the Waikiki Yacht Club after two days of safety checks, training, and weather review. The watch teams are formed and we’re looking forward to what’s to come! Here is a summary of the feelings hours before departure
The Fridge…
By Tara, FALKEN Crew | 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.
LIFE ON A HEEL
By: Mary | FALKEN Mate | Day 2 of life on a heel and the crew are getting more used to it. The sea state (or the helming?) has improved and the amount of times you get body slammed whilst trying to sleep has reduced, making it much more tolerable. However, I speak on behalf of all the staff when I say cooking at this angle sucks an incredible amount, and watch handovers between us usually involves some grumbling about upwind sailing.
SAILING AT ITS BEST!
By: Adam. FALKEN Crew | It’s 19:40 and I am on the helm again. The sun is well set, as the first hundred or so stars are making themselves visible as a so far moonless, and nearly cloudless sky promises excellent star watching as the night progresses. We have 22 kts apparent wind at 50 degrees on a starboard tack, with relatively calm seas.
Boobies!
By Orie, FALKEN Crew | What about the boobies you may ask? They have accompanied us on our voyage and are more frequently taking the opportunity to rest and preen on the anchor (to the bosun’s delight). This in contrast to the boobie that took a bit of a ride on the wobbly Windex the other day. Fortunately it did not tolerate the raucous ride for long, and the Windex was not damaged.
North to Hawaii
By: Richa, FALKEN Crew | Yesterday (still not sure what day of the week that was) started with Alex heading out to Customs and getting us checked out of Kiribati. The crew had more down time- more naps, more reading, more swims and definitely more showers.
Kiribati
By Jacob, FALKEN Crew | Collectively, we misplaced most of Saturday. Arriving to Kiribati Saturday, ships time, we were faced with the disconcerting conundrum of sailing directly into Sunday, Kiribati time, owing to a largish hemorrhoid in the international dateline and cozy bro-mance between Australia and the Line Islands.
Equator
BLOG BY ORIE | Equator - Bring it on! Apparently, a spy boarded FALKEN, unbeknownst to the several polywogs aboard — heralding our approach to the royal line. Having been duly notified of the impending rite of passage by King Neptune’s herald and prepared for the equitorial approach by our flamboyant navigator, we anxiously prepare gifts…
Sushi & Poke bowls
As usual I asked the crew for blog ideas and this is what I got:It’s Thursday, Istvan has learnt a new colour- sea foam.Orie’s thrilled with how the days are filled with something remarkable- be that something visual, or a teaching moment. Even in the middle of the vast ocean the days are filled with something.
Next stop…
The Pacific is, it turns out, is rather large. Mind bogglingly so. Current estimates suggest it’s 79,108 miles across. North to south, about 530,012 miles, which, in a curious turn of coincidence, is the same temperature in the forepeak cabin this morning.
Squalls
The Pacific is, it turns out, is rather large. Mind bogglingly so. Current estimates suggest it’s 79,108 miles across. North to south, about 530,012 miles, which, in a curious turn of coincidence, is the same temperature in the forepeak cabin this morning.
Wind!
The common consensus was that yesterday gave us a little bit of everything. Squally weather with large downfalls of cool rain, no wind, some wind, wind in the right direction, wind in the wrong direction, some birds and a large birthday tuna caught by the birthday girl, Mary.
Happy Birthday Mary!
FALKEN has been ticking miles off nicely and the crew are all well into the watch system. Today we got up to a much more squally day, with lighting and thunderstorms around us indicating our proximity to the ITCZ, the forecast is promising and with a light day ahead expected tomorrow everything seems to be as straight forward as sailing goes.
SAILING NORTH
Approaching the 24 hour mark since slipping lines from Tahiti, I asked the self named ‘Spare Change’ watch for a sentence or two about their experience at sea so far. They are as follows:
Upwind Beat
I’m sitting in the nav station while the crew are having some coffee on deck. Checklists are done, briefings are completed and all is left to do is re-fuel 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…
Upwind Beat
Well here we are beating back from Bora Bora to Tahiti. So far this year I have sailed over 8500 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.
Bora Bora
Well the forecast wind was somewhat under estimated for our sail from Tahiti to Bora Bora. The sea state was also somewhat larger than expected but nonetheless the crew dug deep and we sailed our way through 20 hours to make landfall at 0800 yesterday.
Leaving tahiti
A great day was had by all yesterday as the new crew of the good ship FALKEN came together for the first time and began the safety briefing process. It’s good to see an eclectic mix of cultures and our French Canadien contingent will be really helpful in our communications locally over the next week. Passage plan in place we set sail for Bora Bora at 1100 this morning.
Kauehi
The contrast between the chaotic anchorage at Taiohae in Nuku Hiva, to the tranquility of Kauehi village couldn’t have been any more stark. Where in Nuku Hiva FALKEN rolled heavily in the unbroken swell which backwashed against the seawall, we sat perfectly still inside the protected lagoon at Kauehi atoll.
Hove-To at Taiaro
FALKEN made landfall at tiny Taiaro, an uninhabited (but with signs of life) atoll about 25 miles northwest of our goal, Kauehi. Ryan spotted the palm trees poking above the horizon about 8 miles out, just before 1500 and called an enthusiastic ”LAAAAAAND HO!” As we approached at speed, the island soon resolved into that classic image of South Pacific desert island…
Moonlight Sailing
Anyway, it’s HOT! But I have a philosophy that you’re never allowed to complain about anything so long as you’re sailing fast and in the right direction, and that we are certainly doing. FALKEN has covered 317 miles now in 36 hours, and the breeze couldn’t be any better. 15-20 knots apparent on the beam, two reefs in the main and some of the jib furled up and we are flying.ssage we tend to sit tight in one place and recover, doing small boat projects, going exploring ashore where we can, but generally not moving the boat.
Next Stop, Tuamotus!
I wasn’t sure we’d ever get out of Nuku Hiva. After spending 2+ weeks on anchor in a rolly Taiohae Bay, both Emily and I were ready for a chance of scenery. We’re not your typical cruisers — after a passage we tend to sit tight in one place and recover, doing small boat projects, going exploring ashore where we can, but generally not moving the boat.
Landfall
It’s HOT. And very humid. This equatorial sailing, nothing can prepare you for the heat! When you sleep, whatever side of your body that’s against the cushions and the sheet leaves a sweaty imprint. It’s like a crime scene outline, but in sweat. It’s gross.
Hot Heat & Cold Mango
It’s HOT. And very humid. This equatorial sailing, nothing can prepare you for the heat! When you sleep, whatever side of your body that’s against the cushions and the sheet leaves a sweaty imprint. It’s like a crime scene outline, but in sweat. It’s gross.
Maintainance
FALKEN crossed the 3,000-miles sailed threshold yesterday afternoon, and while those 3,000 miles was indeed pretty fast, the final 300 are proving frustratingly slow. We’ve sailed into a wind hole, the SE trades that kept us going at a 220+ miles-per-day clip for so long have faded into a light easterly breeze that more often than not doesn’t have enough pressure in it to keep the sails full in the small, annoying sea state.
Where is the winD?
Well, well, well… Who could’ve foreseen that the most uncertain part of this trip would be the 300nm to landfall? In a way that was forecast by the GRIB models we’ve been downloading underway, it does look like the SE trades are taking a holiday for the remainder of the week, and it’s forced us to get a little creative aboard FALKEN.
Fresh baked bread!
Last night gave us some wonderful light winds sailing on a relatively flat sea that allowed the whole crew to catch up on much needed sleep after the excitement of the night previous. There’s nothing like a night time kite drop followed by an engine fire alarm to keep everyone alert and full of adrenaline and after reconciling all issues it was a huge relief to go from the ridiculous to the sublime.
KITE
Another star filled sky as Falken continues to make good way towards the Marquesas. The kite is up which requires a very special level of consideration and Andy and Aidan are switching in to support the helm as I continue with the day to day chores.
Celestial
“At certain times in the life of a navigator, it can be more useful for them to know not where [they] are, but where [they] are not.” — John Mellor, SAIL Magazine, November 1975. With Falken having happily found her stride and on the last 600-mile stretch to land, I found myself with some downtime to actually practice the one thing I set out to conquer on this passage— celestial navigation…
Stars
Full sail. Wind is down and the stars are out. We haven’t had many truly great starry nights on this passage until tonight. On leaving the Galapagos, when the night’s were clear, the moon was so bright so as to drown out all the starlight. Then, as the moon rose later and later, it had been mostly overcast at night. No stars.
Food
With two thirds of this passage complete already I have been reflecting upon the gargantuan task of provisioning and meal planning and the learning curves in relation to food as our voyage has progressed. Any professional sailor responsible for provisioning will have felt the nagging fear that there simply isn’t enough food for the duration…
Kim’s Blog
It's Tuesday April 15th. It's been 8 (?) full days since we pulled Anchor in San Christobal Galapagos. So far we have logged nearly 1600 NM and are almost halfway to the Marquesas. There is a rhythm to life at sea guided by our Captain, Mate, and Navigator. All crew on board have a job to perform as well. An organized sailboat makes for happy crew and safe boat
Boobies
Being at sea thousands of miles from land is a vulnerable place to be at times and none more so than when the watermaker decides to malfunction. Our ability to desalinate salt water enables us to sail long distances without the need to carry arduous amounts of fresh water but the operation requires constant maintenance and supervision.
Rain
The word association for this passage thus far would most definitely be rain. I had read a lot about the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) prior to this trip as a former Pollywog who spends very little time near the equator. The meeting point between the NE and SE trades also commonly referred to as The Doldrums, known for its distinct lack of wind and unending rain.
Downwind
This wasn’t the worst spill I’ve ever seen on a boat, but it was close. We’d just taken two reefs in the main and a rolled a big chunk out of the genoa in building winds and seas tonight, FALKEN running downwind, yankee poled out to port and the main prevented to starboard. Regularly averaging 12 knots over a 3-hour watch, and hitting wild surfing speeds.
Squalls
The last 24 hours have been a relentless mission of opening and closing hatches as the heavy downpours synonymous with the tropics have kept us on our toes. Had anyone suggested a few days ago that I might find myself cold during this passage I would have laughed at the incredulous notion and yet the early hours of the 11th saw just that reality.
Squalls
The last 24 hours have been a relentless mission of opening and closing hatches as the heavy downpours synonymous with the tropics have kept us on our toes. Had anyone suggested a few days ago that I might find myself cold during this passage I would have laughed at the incredulous notion and yet the early hours of the 11th saw just that reality.
Glums & glows
Based on the heading above, I’m sure you can assume the mood aboard today. Anyone who has spent time with Andy on a 59º North passage will be innately familiar with Glows and Glums, our nightly ritual of sharing personal highs and lows of the day, followed by the cathartic sound of your choice.
Doldrums…
I cannot imagine what the mood must have been like back in the square-rigger days traversing this part of the world. There is NO wind. Hasn’t been for days, but a frustrating swell has us banging around even though we’re motoring at a smooth 6-7 knots.
King Neptune’s Realm
All the things happened at the same time this evening. We crossed the equator southbound just as the sun was kissing the horizon to the west. We shut down the engine and fired a cannon salute, and with that dinner was served. King Neptune would have to wait until after we ate.
Day before Departure
T-minus six-and-a-half hours and counting until departure. As I write from FALKEN's nav station, Emily is on deck briefing the crew on MOB protocols. Point #1 - stay on the 'effing boat! She'll do a live MOB recovery demo shortly, and being that the water is so warm and calm, we'll do one with a live 'casualty' instead of with the MOB dummy.
Arrived in the Galapagos
At around 10 a.m. local time and 15 p.m. UTC the 25th, we crossed the equator!! While congratulations were happening, a lot more was going on. Besides King Neptune making its way to FALKEN, hundreds of seabirds had their breakfast all along our starboard.
By Libby
For the past few days the weather forecast has been: no wind, not now, not in a few hours, not in a few days, not ever on this passage. To our delight we have been graced with minutes, hours, days of excellent wind/ breezes. Every chance we get we unleash that Yankee, grinding the sheets easing the furling line, adjusting the main….
Sailing!
Waking up for the next watch, a smile crosses my heart. we are under sail! in the middle of the doldrums. i take the helm, feel the breeze on my face, marvel at the ease at which FALKEN…
Blog from Linda!
Adventure at sea and what does that mean to me? TIME AWAY from the world and a chance to meet others who love sailing as I do. No news, no knowledge of anything but the nature around us, whether that be clouds, birds, dolphins, whales, lightening, swells to ride on, no wind to sweat in and maybe a little swim.
Lunchtime swim!
Another glorious sunset tonight, the Pacific has not failed to deliver on that front at all so far. The steady thrum of the engine and a flogging main sail suggests what we are lacking- wind! The doldrums seem to have found us earlier than hoped for.
Epic Downwind!
By 8am we had our big pink spinnaker flying and managed to keep it all the way until the afternoon when the breeze died off and our iron sail (aka the engine) made an entrance for a few hours. Some of the highlights of today include sighting a pot of Orcas about 5 boat lenghts from us, spotting the Southern Cross….
Departure
The crew arrived yesterday on a sweaty afternoon in the Flamenco Marina, Panama. You could feel the excitement of everyone coming on board. Some old friends meeting again, some new people stepping foot on Falken for the first time.