2025-12 | FALKEN | San Francisco-Ensenada, Mexico
59º North’s first West Coast stint starts in San Francisco with weather, safety, and boat briefings before heading offshore through the Golden Gate to Ensenada, Mexico—over 500 miles south. This passage offers hands-on offshore sailing experience and a true taste of Pacific ocean sailing.
The Passage
Synopsis
59º North’s first stint on the west coast of the USA! We’ll start in iconic San Francisco with a day of weather, safety & boat briefings. Then it’s out through the famous Golden Gate and offshore to Mexico, some 500+ miles south. Expect to learn all aspects of ocean sailing on this passage and get the real deal in the Pacific.
Details & logistics
typical Weather Pattern
Prevailing winds expected NW to NNW, 12–22 kt, with moderate confidence; occasional periods of lighter winds possible nearshore, especially south of Point Conception. Offshore, wind strength may increase to 20–28 kt, particularly in the vicinity of coastal headlands and during frontal passages. Sea state generally moderate, 1.5–2.5 m (5–8 ft) offshore, with locally higher wind waves north of Point Conception; nearshore, seas 1–2 m (3–6 ft), with some lee effects south of the Channel Islands. Sea surface temperatures likely to trend from 56–60ºF (13–16ºC) in northern segments, rising to 62–68ºF (17–20ºC) approaching southern latitudes. Air temperatures expected cool to mild, 54–64ºF (12–18ºC) north, warming to 60–72ºF (16–22ºC) southward, with some diurnal variation and potential for coastal fog, especially overnight and nearshore. Moderate chance of a weak frontal system or trough affecting the northern half of the route, bringing increased cloud cover, wind shifts, and a brief period of unsettled conditions; otherwise, high pressure likely to dominate, supporting stable weather. Confidence moderate to high for prevailing pattern, with some uncertainty regarding timing and strength of any transient systems. This output is AI-generated, based on publicly available meteorological data and is meant to give a high-level overview of expected conditions. Professional forecasting & consulting with our weather-routing partners WRI will be used during the actual passage.
SPONSORED BY WRIWX
Weather synopses are intended to be a big-picture overview of expected conditions to help you plan for your passage. They are provided by our good friends at Weather Routing Inc. and initialed by the forecaster who created them! WRI provide all of our forecasting and routing for all trips and have done so since we started 2015. Check them out on wriwx.com.
packing lists & notes
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!!
FAQS
THE BOAT
Farr 65
'
FALKEN
'
🇬🇧
FALKEN is a 65-foot Bruce Farr-designed racing yacht, built in 1999 for a round-the-world amateur race. After the race, she was used for sail training before being purchased and refitted in 2022 for offshore sailing and crew comfort. The refit included a new Lithionics battery system and redesigned interior for a 10-person crew. More details and media at 59-north.com/falken.
CREW TESTIMONIALS
Our voyage was interesting because both ISBJØRN (which I was on) and ICEBEAR traveled the same route at roughly the same time. I knew when I signed up that I would not be on a boat with Andy and Mia, but I wanted to experience the smaller boat, so I was fine with that. We had Matt Rutherford as our captain and Ben Doerr as first mate. The bonus was how chill and fun they both were throughout the trip. There were lots of fascinating stories, and they were both cheerful about answering questions and providing advice. The other three crew on my trip (Ted, Laz, and Chris) were great company too, so I feel pretty lucky about that. But regarding Matt and Ben, it says a lot about Andy and Mia that they attract people of that quality to their business. For me, it was mission accomplished. 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. I wouldn't tackle Bermuda on my own yet, though. It's far! But one step at a time. For now, thanks to 59º North and all of their good people for a safe but true ocean adventure. If you are looking for blue water sailing experience and a fun adventure, I highly recommend that you sign up.
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. Hiking in Bergen and the Shetland Islands was amazing. Hiking in the Faroe Islands was indescribable. I felt so close to nature the entire time. All of the staff at 59º North were kind, professional, fun, knowledgeable, and friendly. I will be back!
My time on FALKEN crossing the Atlantic was highly rewarding and incredibly enjoyable. A unique adventure for sure, it was made that much more gratifying given the wonderful crew with whom I shared the experience. 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.
Adventure, education, majesty... I can't imagine a better pair of people to introduce people to the sublime enterprise of offshore sailing. This trip will always live amongst my cherished memories. Thank you!
There is a phrase you will hear aboard sail boats - it goes like this: "If you are thinking about reefing - reef!!" The same logic applies to sailing with Andy and Mia: If you are thinking about sailing with Andy and Mia - stop thinking and Go!!!! Andy and Mia are great sailors, leaders, teachers, cooks, as well as warm, intelligent, and accepting people. No matter how many blue water miles you have under your keel, you will be a better sailor after your trip on ISBJØRN. Ft. Lauderdale to Annapolis 2016.
Sailing from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas with 59º North Sailing was an outstanding experience and one I would recommend to anyone looking for an offshore sailing adventure combined with exceptional instruction and seamanship. The lead crew, Andy, Mary, and Ryan, created an environment that was both professional and welcoming. Safety, preparation, and teamwork were clear priorities, and every decision reflected extensive offshore experience. The passage itself offered everything I was looking for—extended offshore sailing, variable weather and wind conditions, sail changes, watch rotations, night sailing, and experience with weather routing—all while feeling supported and included as an active crew member. The watch system was well organized, allowing everyone to gain meaningful hands-on experience without feeling overwhelmed. There was a good balance between teaching and empowering us to take responsibility, and I came away with much more confidence in offshore sailing and a deeper understanding of ocean passagemaking. Beyond the sailing, the culture onboard made the trip really special. Good humor, amazing dinners, and strong camaraderie quickly turned a group of strangers into a cohesive crew. Arriving in Cabo after several days at sea was incredibly rewarding—made even more meaningful because we had truly earned the landfall together after an intense evening of squalls. 59º North delivers an authentic offshore experience, expert leadership, and an adventure that builds both skills and confidence. I would sail with them again without question!
Huge thank you to the 59º North team, especially Captain Emily and First Mate Mia, for taking me and our crew safely across the Atlantic Ocean. A daunting dream to have turned into an amazing reality under the expert supervision of a skilled and experienced team, on the beautiful, fast, and well-equipped boat, FALKEN. I feel very grateful to have met and worked with the wonderful, international crew aboard. I will cherish the starry nights chatting (or enjoying in silence), the 360° horizon, and the beautiful sunsets and sunrises. No matter how feisty the wind and sea state, all crew members took the helm, sometimes with the support of the captain or first mate by your side, coaching you. Amazing! I learned so much, and I'll be back for more!