2024-7 | FALKEN | Cuba-Bermuda
(Note that we offer a % discount if you pay by cash/bank transfer.)
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...
"This trip across the North Sea from Bergen (Norway) to Oban (Scotland) was awesome! It offered hands-on learning about navigation, lots of sail handling, and a wide range of weather, wind (up to 35 knots!), and sailing conditions. Jon Amtrup is a highly experienced skipper—and he helped me fill in the gaps!"
"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."
"Having sailed on ISBJØRN in 2019, I was excited to join another 59º North passage and finally sailed on FALKEN for the trans-Atlantic in January 2025. The 17-day passage was an incredible experience, sharing sailing knowledge and cultural perspectives with a diverse crew. FALKEN felt extremely safe and comfortable, and the care 59º North puts into both the voyage and post-trip details is outstanding. I came away with new friends, unforgettable memories, and a whole new level of sailing experience."
"A fairytale on top of the world, traveling from charming island to island on our trusty steed and home, SPICA. Andy will need to get a wizard's hat for the next voyage."
"Our voyage was interesting because both ISBJØRN (which I was on) and ICEBEAR traveled the same route at roughly the same time. We had Matt Rutherford as our captain and Ben Doerr as first mate, and they were both chill, fun, and always happy to answer questions and provide advice. I feel I got the experience I need with the ocean and Gulf Stream to pilot my own boat from Florida to Bermuda in the future, which was exactly my goal. If you are looking for blue water sailing experience and a fun adventure, I highly recommend that you sign up with 59º North."
"Cruelling and unforgettable! I knew I would be inspired by Nikki and Alex—true professionals—but it was the inspiration I took from my crewmates that will stay with me for a lifetime. As a blue water cruiser, this experience definitely made me a better ocean sailor!"
"59º North runs the most professional offshore training program you can find, and it shows in their professionalism, leadership, skill, and service. I felt honored to be part of the maiden voyage of FALKEN—she's a beauty, and the 59º North refit crew did an amazing job! Shout out to Nikki Henderson (Captain) and Alex Laline (Mate) for inspiring, knowledgeable, and caring leadership. I can't imagine having a better experience with any other."
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!