2027-16 | FALKEN | Plymouth-Madeira
Where North Americans pay utmost respect to the Gulf Stream when heading south to the Caribbean, Europeans are equally cautious about the legendary Bay of Biscay and its notorious weather. This is the big one—perhaps the highest chance of heavy weather on our entire sailing season and a great chance to learn more about weather-routing and forecasting. Thanks to our orca friends near mainland Portugal, we're going to stay offshore and go direct for Madeira instead of risk a run-in with the whales. But, what that gives us is an awesome open-ocean passage, some 1,200 miles to one of the Atlantic's least-visited and most incredible islands at Madeira! We stopped in Madeira only once in 59º North's history, aboard ISBJØRN in 2018, and we're stoked to go back! FALKEN will deliberately leave from Plymouth, which is about as far west in England as we can get to position ourselves for the prevailing SW'ly winds as we head south. Once across Biscay, the weather warms and the sailing gets easier as we sail down the coast. You can expect a wide variety of conditions on the trip south. This will be FALKEN's 4th Biscay crossing, and the 7th time we've sailed the route with 59º North, and I think each time has been different. The weather changes quickly this time of year, with low-pressure systems and their associated fronts marching across every few days. So pack the layers and be prepared for a variety of points of sail on the way south.
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:
October 22, 2027
Crew arrive to FALKEN at 1300 in Plymouth, United Kingdom. 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.
October 24, 2027
Scheduled departure, weather dependent.
November 3, 2027
Latest date (12:00 noon) for crew to depart FALKEN from Funchal, Portugal.
TRAVEL LOGISTICS
Plymouth
Funchal
Weather conditions
Expect a brisk, autumnal passage across Biscay—cool and likely unsettled up top, with a real chance of lively seas and gusty fronts rolling through, gradually mellowing into warmer, more settled sailing as you carry south toward Portugal.
In-depth analysis, by WRI
WHY 59º NORTH?
ambitious sailing schedule
The best boats
Professional, well-paid staff
knowledge & community
Why it costs what it costs...
"This passage was literally my first time sailing. 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 could not have asked for a better skipper (thank you, Jon), better crew mates, or a more enjoyable passage. I'll be forever grateful to 59º North for this opportunity, and I hope to sail with them again soon."
"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!"
"I'm AKA Andy’s Dad, so my opinion of the skipper may be slanted a bit. I admit to being wrong on my initial reaction to FALKEN—at first sight she seemed like a hard-to-handle race boat, but she is easy to handle and shrinks once you get used to her. The refit work done below is flawless, with comfortable bunks, a spacious galley, and plenty of storage. A trip with 59º North on any of their boats is truly a life-changing experience. Highly recommended!"
"It was such an experience! Meeting all the people and being part of the crew is something very special. 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."
"Adventure, education, majesty... I can't imagine a better pair to introduce people to the sublime enterprise of offshore sailing. This trip will always live amongst my cherished memories. Thank you!"
"Sailing from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas with 59º North Sailing was an outstanding experience that I would recommend to anyone seeking offshore sailing combined with exceptional instruction and seamanship. The lead crew, Andy, Mary, and Ryan, created a professional and welcoming environment focused on safety, preparation, and teamwork. I came away with much more confidence in offshore sailing and a deeper understanding of ocean passagemaking. 59º North delivers an authentic offshore experience, expert leadership, and an adventure that builds both skills and confidence."
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.