2026-4 | FALKEN | Galapagos-Marquesas
(Note that we offer a % discount if you pay by cash/bank transfer.)
Perhaps THE classic, bucket-list ocean passage that we all dream about, the iconic Marquesas Islands lie 3,000-miles downwind of the Galapagos. This passage is as long as a Trans-At and includes an Equator crossing, so be prepared for a visit from Neptune and get ready to earn your shellback tattoo! Can an ocean passage get more exotic than this?
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 4, 2026
Crew arrive to FALKEN at 1300 in San Cristobal, Galapagos. 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.
April 5, 2026
Scheduled departure, weather dependent.
April 28, 2026
Latest date (12:00 noon) for crew to depart FALKEN from Nuku Hiva, Marquesas.
PASSAGE DETAILS
We are planning to start the passage in San Cristobal, Galapagos, there are no marinas here and we’ll be on anchor. Things may change, if we would end up on a different island for any reason, there are inter-island flights and ferries so please come with a flexible attitude.
We will not be cruising the Galapagos islands and encourage you to explore the islands on your own, before joining the boat.
The Marquesas are similar to the Galapagos, there are no marinas and we'll be on anchor. The plan is to end in Nuku Hiva, but we need to stay flexible as things can change when we arrive. If we have a fast passage and are early, we may visit another islands before we make it to Nuka Hiva, but it depends on the weather and timing.
TRAVEL LOGISTICS
San Cristobal
Nuku Hiva
Weather conditions
Expect a warm, downwind tradewind passage—generally settled and steady, with the boat rolling along under sunny skies; it'll feel lively but comfortable, the kind of classic Pacific crossing that mostly takes care of itself.
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...
"Great time sailing on FALKEN with Alex, Adam, and Zoe from Hawaii to B.C.! The passage took about 2 weeks, with beautiful sunrises and sunsets, dolphins, whales, fast speeds, and big waves. FALKEN handles rough weather with ease, and the experienced staff made this passage a piece of cake. By the end of the trip, I was already looking at next year’s openings to sign up for!"
"I sailed on ISBJØRN in March 2024 from Bergen to Tromsø and it was fantastic. 59º North truly lived up to expectations—Mia and August were always helpful, and our skipper Jon Amtrup did a fantastic job, balancing safety with giving everyone the right tasks and space. We had incredible anchorages, great sailing, fun dinners, and unforgettable experiences under the stars on the North Sea. ISBJØRN is a wonderful boat with character, and I highly recommend the trip."
"59º North made my dream come true to cross an ocean via sailboat. Andy and Vilma taught me little lessons and big lessons of the sea, pushing me out of my comfort zone, which is exactly what I was hoping for. Thank you Andy and Mia for letting me, a rookie ocean sailor, live the experience of a lifetime and fueling future dreams. I hope to be crew on FALKEN once again and to keep learning."
"I signed up for this passage hoping to spend an extended period offshore, learn new skills, increase my competencies and confidence, and sail with amazing crew mates—and this passage completely exceeded my expectations. The 59º North team brings impressive skill, experience, wisdom, and fun to each passage and crew, which is a huge part of why I returned for this second passage in twelve months. I recommend 59º North to all of my sailing friends who want to learn about offshore passage-making in a thorough and hands-on way from true professionals."
"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!"
"I truly enjoyed the entire experience. I went to gain confidence and understanding of offshore sailing, build my skills as a sailor, and have fun—this trip did not disappoint. Our captain, Paul Exner, had a relaxed and friendly coaching style, walking us through decision points and sharing his thought process, which was invaluable. I loved sailing on ISBJØRN; my only regret was that the trip had to end. Thanks to 59º North for such a dynamic experience!"
"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. Erik and Ben were top-notch professionals, and my experience with 59º North was great!"
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
Plan, go, learn, do. Why?
Mia prompted the group to provide the answer to why are we doing this trip?
600nm from land
At night, between the clouds, the Milky Way stretches down to the waves. The southern cross tumbles slowly in place near the horizon, across the sky the Big Dipper disappears to the north.
Oh, The Places You’ll Go
I find myself making passage between exotic locations on Falken for the 5th time. Blessed with great friends and having been in the right place at the right time a couple times, I have come to deeply treasure this type of exploration and adventure.
Thai curry and whales!
Happy Birthday to Quinn!
Turtles, stars and lasagna
FALKEN is officially under way!
Wing on wing!
Falken is officially on the highway to the Marquesas, as Alex calls it, also known as the southeasterly trades. She is cruising along with the swell (finally) on her stern and the sails wing on wing.
The Beautiful night!
We had an amazing night with a sky filled of stars, except for a short lived rain cloud that came over us earlier in the night. We had Scorpio behind us with Libra above, while Orion was setting just behind the jib.
Watches, ranked
Please read on for a totally subjective and not at all data driven tiering of our watches by Kate.
The Downhill Run
We have been easily making 8 to 12 knot speeds and 200 nautical mile days.
Land Ho’ing? Landing Ho? Making Landfall…
I never know exactly what to expect, but based on my past travels, every landfall is different.
1,000 miles to go!
No amount of WD-40 will silence its determination to drive us mad, but if that is the price of warm scones at sea, I will certainly pay.
Three digit party!
The sky has been clear and there isn't much of a moon so the stars have been incredible. I think my favorite part of being out here is the night sailing and the night sky.
Big Pink Sail Day
I had a most fashionable pointed striped hat at dinner, and out of the depths of a cupboard a cake was created, after 14 days at sea. A group of people I had never met two weeks ago made me feel very special today.
The pool is open!
We stopped the boat, got the ladder down and put out a line with a fender behind the boat. I love swimming in the middle of the ocean, and a bit scary when you realize its more than 4000+ m deep! Love it!
Dolphin party!
Kate was about to yank the spinnaker’s sock down when I spotted a stampede of fins heading straight for us. ”Dolphins!”, I yelled back to the cockpit excitedly. Post dinner dish duty was halted down below for the show.
LAND HO!
The formula for distance to the horizon (in nautical miles) is the square root of the height of eye (in feet) times 1.15. Which means the easternmost island in the Marquesas, Ua Huka, which is 2,806 feet high, should have been visible at 60.9 nautical miles, at around 430 pm, ship’s time, this afternoon. We didn’t however factor in cloud cover.