2024-8 | FALKEN | Bermuda-Azores
(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:
May 23, 2024
Crew arrive to FALKEN at 1300 in St. Georges, Bermuda. 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 25, 2024
Scheduled departure, weather dependent.
June 9, 2024
Latest date (12:00 noon) for crew to depart FALKEN from Horta, Azores.
TRAVEL LOGISTICS
St. Georges
Horta
Weather conditions
Expect a lively, somewhat unsettled passage with cool, fresh conditions and a few breezy spells as you cross—nothing wild, but enough wind and motion to keep the crew on their toes and the sailing genuinely engaging.
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...
"I can’t say enough good things about the camp, August, and ISBJØRN. The format is perfect for someone like me—I’ve done some sailing, but not enough to feel comfortable on a passage. August is an amazing teacher and so patient! I learned an incredible amount and feel ready to take on a passage with 59º North."
"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."
"Mark and I signed up for a multi-night sailing adventure and ended up with a life-altering week of utter delight. Alex and Mia created an atmosphere of trusting, loving community the second we boarded FALKEN, and we still can’t believe how they trusted us with their beautiful boat and the crew’s lives. We learned about sailing, charting, trimming sails, and working in teams with strangers, and experienced everything from flat calm to huge swells, dolphins, and whales. We’ve been off the boat for four days and are already obsessed with going on another leg—what a week, 59º North!"
"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!"
"I have so many great memories from this sailing experience, and so much of that was because of our skipper, Mary, and first mate, Delaney. Mary was incredible: approachable, present, knowledgeable, and always calm, with a quiet confidence that made everyone feel safe and comfortable. She frequently studied the GRIB files and always considered the best course of action to keep her crew happy and safe. She kept us informed each day with clear explanations of passage changes and weather. She never wavered in providing gentle reminders about safety on board. It never once crossed my mind that we were not in good hands. Delaney was equally wonderful. She and Mary were perfectly in sync as leaders, communicating calmly, respectfully, and often with great humor. Delaney was always smiling, quick to laugh, and showed clear respect for Mary’s decision-making while bringing her own steady presence to the crew. Virginia, our intern, and I spent less time together due to our shifts. However, in the few interactions we had, we shared some amazing life perspectives that I will always remember. Together, they created the full offshore sailing experience I hoped for: a combination of education, safety, leadership, and kindness. The only problem is that they have now set a very high bar for future sailing experiences. When I reflect back on the passage, I have no ‘glums’ at all."
"This was my second trip with 59º North, and once again it was absolutely fantastic. The crew quickly became a friendly, supportive team, and living in close quarters felt natural and easy. Jon set the perfect tone as skipper, sharing his knowledge with clarity and patience, and Mia’s behind-the-scenes planning made everything seamless. Sailing with 59º North is about growing as a sailor, sharing adventure, and making lasting memories."
"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!"
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 11
The sky cleared just before darkness fell and the crew had a final night to steer by the stars. Falken slipped along silently on an inky ocean and we slowly caught up with the last few boats of the ARC Europe who had left Bermuda four days before us.
Day 10
We have had some fabulous nights on this crossing, allowing us to see the milky way in great detail. Along with many nebulae, star clusters, galaxies (all visible by naked eye), and of course, thousands of satellites, which make the sky feel strangely futuristic compared to the skies of my childhood. FALKEN, gliding effortlessly from one continent to another, under a hyper modern space age night sky, using “millennium” old technology. Seems to me like we are exactly at the right place at the right time.
Day 9
Chris informed us that we will sail past Horta then tack to see if the wind will be more favorable on a starboard tack once the wind shifts. We undid the reefs to the Yankee and reef two in the main averaging 7.7 speed over ground for most of the morning. Dolphins, whales, and a nearby sailing vessel provided entertainment for the crew.
Day 7
In another department, there has been a strong desire to see wildlife, and so far we have seen dolphins on multiple occasions, birds regularly, electric dolphins once (dolphins in bioluminescent algae). But yesterday definitely stood out as we were visited by a small group of whales just before sunset. A humbling few minutes, observing each other, before they disappeared again in the distance.
Day 6
FALKEN has maintained a steady pace of 8.6 speed over ground the last sixteen hours as we sail through to 1157 nautical miles. It has been bittersweet with completing the halfway mark to Horta yesterday. The crew had a celebration thanks to Manot for making ice cream for dessert.
Day 5
We are sailing on the edge of a high pressure system. On my morning watch we shook all reefs and hoisted the Staysail. Beam reaching under full Mainsail, Yankee and Staysail Falken was cruising along at 9, 10 sometimes 11 knots. In the late afternoon the wind veered to a SWester Force 4 to 5 and we dropped the Staysail, eased the sheets and continued on a broad reach.
Day 4
With 223 nm sailed in the last 24 hours, sailing has been fun and exciting. FALKEN is powered up nicely, and the crew are doing an amazing job helming, keeping her as if she were sailing on rails. Sailors often have their ways to mimic that sensation of the boat flying through the waves, underlined by their eyes brightening up in excitement. I am sure that these days spent together on FALKEN will be referred to under those terms more than once.
Day 3
FALKEN is cruising right along at 8-9 knots and completing 484 nautical miles within the first three days of our voyage. The last twenty four hours have been tough with moderate sea state and wind speeds, but the crew has been in high spirits since the change in weather. The moderate winds have given us the opportunity to put up the staysail and Yankee along with a reefed main.
Day 2
Before we left Bermuda we studied the weather and went through all the possible routing options. In the end, with all weather models predicting Northerly winds for the last three days of our trip, we decided to take the Northern route. This is adding some extra miles, but hopefully we will be in a better position for the predicted Northerlies.
Day 1
A little under 24 hours ago, we slipped the lines from the fuel dock in St George, Bermuda. The excitement amongst the crew was palpable, and it didn’t take much to get a departure picture filled with bright smiles.
pre-departure
The crew is wrapping up their final moments in St. George’s Bermuda. This has been my first time traveling outside of America. My time here has been overwhelmingly positive from the 59 North Crew to the locals here on Bermuda.