2024-7 | FALKEN | Cuba-Bermuda
The Passage
Rough itinerary
All 59º North passages are very much subject to weather. We pick our routes based on the "correct" time of year to be sailing in the different regions we visit, and we always build-in enough time to give us some margin for weather windows. The skipper has final say on departure dates and weather windows, but generally speaking, the intinerary for this passage will look like this:
April 30, 2024
Crew arrive to FALKEN at 1300 in Havana, Cuba. FALKEN orientation followed by crew dinner. All crew stay onboard FALKEN.
Prep Days
Between the joining and departure dates, all pre-passage preparation, provisioning, and safety briefings will be completed. The specific pre-departure schedule will be outlined and posted onboard FALKEN by the skipper.
May 2, 2024
Scheduled departure, weather dependent.
May 14, 2024
Latest date (12:00 noon) for crew to depart FALKEN from St. Georges, Bermuda.
TRAVEL LOGISTICS
Havana
St. Georges
Weather conditions
This late-April passage should feel warm and pleasant, with mostly settled tradewind sailing once you're offshore—expect a few lively, breezy stretches and the odd squall, but generally a comfortable, downwind-flavored romp toward Bermuda.
In-depth analysis, by WRI
WHY 59º NORTH?
ambitious sailing schedule
The best boats
WOMEN BUNKS GUARANTEED
Professional, well-paid staff
knowledge & community
Why it costs what it costs...
"When I think back to my trip across the North Sea on ICEBEAR, the memories uplift me and fill me with warmth and gratitude. Unplugging from the corporate world and embracing the beauty the ocean has to offer with 59º North molded me into a slightly different version of myself, in the most magical ways. I went home after 11 days with a more courageous yet humbled energy, realizing how capable and excited I am to take on new challenges."
"Sailing on ISBJØRN with Captain Naxo during the Sail Training Camp was an incredible experience. His ability to adapt his teaching to each person's skill level built confidence throughout the crew and turned us into a cohesive team. I wholeheartedly recommend 59º North and Captain Naxo."
"My time on FALKEN crossing the Atlantic was highly rewarding and incredibly enjoyable. The trip was routinely challenging and always a lot of fun, allowing me to stretch myself and enjoy being absent from the rest of the world for a time. Unforgettable."
"I'm AKA Andy’s Dad, so my opinion of the skipper may be slanted a bit. I admit to being wrong on my initial reaction to FALKEN—at first sight she seemed like a hard-to-handle race boat, but she is easy to handle and shrinks once you get used to her. The refit work done below is flawless, with comfortable bunks, a spacious galley, and plenty of storage. A trip with 59º North on any of their boats is truly a life-changing experience. Highly recommended!"
"It was such an experience! Meeting all the people and being part of the crew is something very special. We were so lucky to spend the passage on FALKEN; the nature and weather gave us the best, and I really wish it could have lasted longer."
"The experience was more than I hoped for in every way. I felt completely at home on the open water in our mighty vessel and with a wonderful crew that quickly became family. All of the staff at 59º North were kind, professional, fun, knowledgeable, and friendly. I will be back!"
"I'm still processing everything I saw, felt, learned, and experienced over those 17 days, but there are a few things I wanted to express before the land sickness wears off and I return to my landlubber life. Your Skippers and Mates created an environment of calm, comfort, and confidence that washed away any apprehension I had about joining seven strangers on a 1600-mile round trip. I am blown away by their depth of knowledge, not only of sailing but also in teaching a crew of widely different experience levels without a hint of condescension. I would not hesitate to sail with them again, and we're already scoping out future dates on the cal."
THE BOAT
Farr 65
'
FALKEN
'
🇬🇧
FALKEN is ideally set up for long-distance offshore sailing. We fully rebuilt the boat in 2022 to our exacting specifications and with the help of legendary yacht designer Bob Perry. She's comfortable belowdecks and each crew has their own dedicated sea berth & gear locker. On deck she has a huge cockpit which easily seats 10 people for our daily meals offshore, and allows for plenty of room to move about when handling lines and trimming sails. She's also easy to maintain, fast and fun to sail! FALKEN sails with 8 crew plus a Skipper & Mate and the occasional apprentice.
packing lists & notes
Day 4
Hello everyone! What a great day today has been. Everyone onboard is smelling extremely well and looking very fresh and the reason for that is that today we hove-to to have a mid-Ocean dip! That's right, we went in the water and had a beautiful swim and clean before jumping back onboard to carry on sailing.
Day 3
Another day of stunning sailing onboard the good ship FALKEN, It has been fascinating to witness the change of temperature since our departure from Cuba and, although the sun has been present everyday since then, it has clearly cooled down to a lovely temperature, needing even a hoodie at night!
Day 2
Another day is coming to an end as we watch the sunset go down over the horizon. The good news is that FALKEN is still doing over 9 knots which means we've done another 210 nautical miles + day! The bad news is that we're still going upwind....
Day 1
What a first 24 hours run for FALKEN and her crew! We can see the skyline of Miami as I write this, which means that, with the help of the Gulf Stream, FALKEN has sailed over 214nm upwind in 24 hours, pretty impressive!
Pre-Departure
After a few days exploring the wonders of Habana, FALKEN and her crew are ready to set sail and point the bow to Bermuda… well just about. Chris and I are once again sailing together which means that most part of the passage is gonna be upwind!