2025-2 | ADRIENNE II | Trans-At: Salvador, Brazil-Canaries
59º North will use ADRIENNE II for offshore sailing in 2025, with a return passage from Salvador, Brazil, across the equator to Placito Blanco in the Canaries. Skippered by Erik Nordborg, this Atlantic trip will run just like any other 59º North adventure.
The Passage
Synopsis
With FALKEN headed to the Pacific, Andy has been on the lookout for a boat for a few limited passages in the Atlantic in 2025 & 2026…and we’ve found it! 59º North will use ADRIENNE II for the second time in 2025, for the return passage from Rio, across the equator to the Canaries, and we’ll run it exactly like any other 59º North trip. She’ll be skippered by Erik Nordborg.
typical Weather Pattern
Prevailing E to ESE trade winds likely, averaging 15–22 kt, with moderate confidence; occasional gusts to 25 kt possible, especially offshore. Seas generally moderate, 1.5–2.5 m (5–8 ft), with a long ESE swell; locally higher near squalls or in enhanced trades. Sea surface temperatures expected 78–82ºF (25–28ºC), with air temperatures 77–85ºF (25–29ºC), trending slightly cooler northward. Nearshore segments may see lighter, more variable winds and reduced sea state, but with increased risk of localized squalls and showers, particularly near the ITCZ boundary. North of the rhumb line, moderate chance of encountering isolated convective activity and brief wind shifts; south of the rhumb line, steadier trades and more consistent conditions are likely. No significant tropical systems are forecast with current data, but a low-probability risk of late-season disturbances remains. 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.
The "typical weather pattern" is meant to be a big-picture overview of expected conditions to help you plan for your passage. They are researched & provided by our good friends at Weather Routing Inc. and even initialed by the forecaster who created them. Once at-sea WRI provide all of our forecasting and routing for all trips and have done so since we started 2015!
packing lists & notes
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.
FAQS
THE BOAT
Swan 70
'
ADRIENNE II
'
🇸🇪
ADRIENNE II is a modified Swan 651, lengthened to 70 feet with an extended transom, upgraded fin keel, carbon-fiber rig, and a Hallberg-Rassy-style glass windshield. Chartered by 59º North from owner Gurra Krantz (noted for the TV show Över Atlanten), she will be used for trans-Atlantic voyages in 2025. Only 19 Swan 651s were built (1982–1991) as successors to the S&S Swan 65, offering more interior space and family cruising features. More info and photos: 59-north.com/swan-70.
CREW TESTIMONIALS
59º North runs the most professional offshore training program you can find, and it shows in their professionalism, leadership, skill, and service. Anyone considering stepping into the realms of offshore sailing should take a passage with 59º North first—trust me when I say you won't regret it. I felt honored to be part of the maiden voyage of FALKEN, and wow, did she deliver! The winds were strong, the sea was high, and FALKEN sailed through swimmingly. She's a beauty—well done to the 59º North refit crew for doing an amazing job! Shout out to Nikki Henderson (Captain) and Alex Laline (Mate) for such amazing leadership. I can't sing their praises enough—they were inspiring, knowledgeable, caring, and resourceful at all the times they needed to be. I can't imagine having a better experience with any other. Thanks, Nikki and Alex!
It was such an experience! Meeting all the people and being part of the crew is something very special! It is all about sharing, daring, and trust in your mates! 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.
I can’t say enough good things about the camp, August, and ISBJØRN. It was fabulous from start to finish (and the hot tub out in the middle of nowhere didn’t hurt). The format is perfect for someone like me. I have done some sailing, but not enough to feel comfortable on a passage. Stopping each night in a different place and having dinner together and a full night’s sleep was great and much needed. The days were packed with so much learning. August is an amazing teacher and so patient! I learned an incredible amount and feel ready to take on a passage with 59º North. Highly recommend this camp to anyone considering an offshore passage.
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!
The trip delivered on all my expectations and more. I wanted to experience sailing beyond my current boundaries of mainly coastal sailing. I wanted to apply skills I already have and to learn more from those around me. And while sunshine, night watches by moon or starlight, and dolphins are beautiful and were part of our passage story, so were gale-force winds and “proper” (5m) waves. I felt able to embrace the whole experience because we had an excellent 59º North team that shaped us into a great crew on a well-prepared boat. The team (Nikki, Emma, Mia) struck such a perfect balance. If you are seeking ocean wisdom, you could not be in better hands. I’d go again in a heartbeat and can’t stop thinking about all the memories we made. Thank you is not adequate!
Grueling and unforgettable! I knew I would be inspired by Nikki and Alex—true professionals. But it was the inspiration I took away 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!
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.
I’m AKA Andy’s dad, so my opinion of the skipper may be slanted a bit. Andy and I have shared many offshore miles together. I taught him the basics of seamanship, and he ran with it and now teaches me. I admit to being wrong in my initial reaction to FALKEN. At first sight, she seemed like a hard-to-handle race boat. Wrong! While FALKEN can outperform any boat I’ve sailed on, she is easy to handle and shrinks once you get used to her. The equipment is large and handles the tremendous loads with ease. The refit work done below is flawless—comfortable bunks, a great spacious galley, and storage space for all gear in lockers! First mate Vilma did an outstanding job making sure the crew were well fed and comfortable. A trip with 59º North on any of their boats is truly a life-changing experience. Highly recommended!
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.
It was an honor to be onboard FALKEN for her crewed maiden voyage. This was my third trip with 59º North and it did not disappoint. We sailed in challenging conditions on our five-day romp in the English Channel. The crew rose to the occasion, inspired by our skipper, Nikki, and first mate, Alex. If you have the desire to experience real-world offshore life under expert supervision with like-minded folks, look no further than 59º North. I look forward to my next trip. Hold fast.
Before 59º North, I didn't know my bowsprit from my binnacle. I suffered from low sailing esteem and a general lack of tide-driven energy. After two weeks of 59º North, what a difference! I now know my sheepshank from my scuttlebutt, I'm more attractive to mermaids, and I have whiter teeth and a full head of hair. But seriously, I wouldn't consider sailing with anyone but 59º North. As a longtime podcast listener, I arrived for my Bermuda to Horta transatlantic with high expectations. They were not just met but exceeded. I could not imagine a skipper and mate more professional and enthusiastic than Andy and Emma. I would need a lot more space to list all of the things I learned, but suffice it to say, I'll be back!
This passage was literally my first time sailing. It felt a little nuts to sign up for something this intense and immersive without any experience, but my goal was to get as far as possible from my daily life and desk-bound comfort zone, and Andy assured me I would be looked after. I felt some trepidation going into the trip, but all those concerns stayed on shore, because as soon as we left port in Bergen I was enjoying myself too much to worry. I could not have asked for a better skipper (thank you, Jon), better crewmates, or a more enjoyable passage. I've been home a week now, and I'm already planning my next sailing adventure. The expression "life-changing experience" is thrown around too loosely, but this surely was for me. I'll be forever grateful to 59º North for this opportunity, and I hope to sail with them again soon.
As this was my first major passage, I wasn't sure what to expect. You have to have a lot of respect for people who choose offshore sailing for their profession. Life-changing and eye-opening, to say the least. I feel I completed this adventure with the best of the best. Erik and Ben were top-notch professionals, and my experience with 59º North was great!
At the age of 65, I was a bit anxious about my first ocean passage from Antigua to Bermuda. We spent seven days at sea in a variety of conditions, including 20 to 30 knot winds, squalls, and storms. 59º North provided a unique opportunity to experience the magic of passage making while learning new skills. Mia Karlsson was inspiring, supportive, and encouraging while sailing FALKEN and cooking amazing meals for the crew. Captain Chris Kobusch brought a wealth of knowledge and experience with over 165,000 nautical miles at sea. This was truly the experience of a lifetime and one that I will always cherish.
Andy and Paul were amazing from the practice sails to the race itself; I never thought I'd be able to participate in such an exciting event—thank you. I'd also like to thank Liz and Lee, your first mates, who were always on hand to encourage us, teach us, and swap stories. I came away with tremendous respect for ISBJØRN, her captain, and the excellent crew she attracts. I learned more and had more fun in those racing days than I'd ever thought possible. I'm definitely coming back.
Gathering with 10 other like-minded women aboard FALKEN was amazing! I learned more than I ever expected from Nikki and Emma. It was super inspiring to see how they ran the ship and how they interacted with each other and the rest of the crew. Being "allowed" to mess up and actually learn from your mistakes without anyone getting stressed was freeing! No matter your skill level, I'd recommend this trip to any woman with a desire to sail.
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!