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For the past few days the weather forecast has been: no wind, not now, not in a few hours, not in a few days, not ever on this passage. To our delight we have been graced with minutes, hours, days of excellent wind/ breezes. Every chance we get we unleash that Yankee, grinding the sheets easing the furling line, adjusting the main….
Adventure at sea and what does that mean to me? TIME AWAY from the world and a chance to meet others who love sailing as I do. No news, no knowledge of anything but the nature around us, whether that be clouds, birds, dolphins, whales, lightening, swells to ride on, no wind to sweat in and maybe a little swim.
Waking up for the next watch, a smile crosses my heart. we are under sail! in the middle of the doldrums. i take the helm, feel the breeze on my face, marvel at the ease at which FALKEN…
Another glorious sunset tonight, the Pacific has not failed to deliver on that front at all so far. The steady thrum of the engine and a flogging main sail suggests what we are lacking- wind! The doldrums seem to have found us earlier than hoped for.
By 8am we had our big pink spinnaker flying and managed to keep it all the way until the afternoon when the breeze died off and our iron sail (aka the engine) made an entrance for a few hours. Some of the highlights of today include sighting a pot of Orcas about 5 boat lenghts from us, spotting the Southern Cross….
The crew arrived yesterday on a sweaty afternoon in the Flamenco Marina, Panama. You could feel the excitement of everyone coming on board. Some old friends meeting again, some new people stepping foot on Falken for the first time.
The lights of Colón are clearly visible to the crew of Falken now, the cargo vessels anchored in the deep water are no longer just smudges of light, and traffic has dramatically increased since departing the San Blas islands 12 hours ago.
San Blas: A Hidden Gem in the Caribbean! The San Blas archipelago is little known outside sailing communities, but it is a true paradise. The islands are fringed with lush palms, sugar-white sand, and some of the most vibrant coral reefs in the world. Snorkeling here is an absolute dream
Perfect sailing conditions from Cartagena, Columbia to the San Blas Islands. 15-20 knots on the beam, 8+ knots over the ground. 1 reef in the main and full Yankee, Falken is a real joy to sail.
Great team effort on the pilotage out of a busy port and challenging entry into San Blas
Land Ho!!! 17 days since we last saw land. A very special feeling spreads onboard when the beautiful peaks of La Palma suddenly appear in the distance. We turn towards each other, ’ha! We did it!’
One might have thought that Cartagena would stand in stark contrast to the thrilling last few hours of our previous passage, providing us with calm and serenity after somewhat of a wild ride. But that would have been a vast underestimating of the exciting city that is Cartagena.
And so we embark on our final leg of the voyage, just as we began…….Adrienne is looking her finest, dressed in a double-reefed main and the staysail holding strong, constantly drenched in saltwater and driving hard!
After what feels like an eternity of motoring, we’re finally free! The winds have blessed us since lunchtime, and it’s smooth sailing ahead. Yet another time dolphins have been putting on a show, playing on our bow.
The days fly by and we sit with shorts and sunglasses and bask in the sun and listen to music. The weather has really been on our side, apart from the high pressure with no wind we are now forcing our way through by engine..
Out here in the vast blue, the ocean has been eerily still—so still, in fact, that we’ve been motoring for yet another day. The sails hang limp, waiting for the wind to return, while the hum of the engine fills the void. In the meantime, life aboard Adrienne II continues in its own rhythm. The crew has settled into the routine of ocean passage—washing clothes, showering
At the dude ocean ranch we gather around the salt encrusted red glowing compass in the aft cockpit for the night watches. We tell stories, many utterly unfit to print. As the distance travelled on the display is now in the 1900s 2000s we tell stories from each year we lived. Our spirits are high. If you could hear us, you would hear giggling and roaring laughter all the time
It took me a while to figure out what day it is and how long we've been at sea. That usually means one of two things: 1. The journey has now exceeded ten days, and after that, days and time start blending together. 2. Sleep deprivation is starting to take its toll. In my case, it's probably a mix of both. :)
The trade winds held steady at a perfect 15 to 20 knots, propelling Adrienne II smoothly across the Atlantic under a sun-soaked sky. The only real inconvenience was steering into the blinding sunrise, making us all appreciate our sunglasses and questionable hat choices. Despite the nearly ideal conditions, morale took a hit as we realized our candy stash had been reduced to a few sad
The ten man crew of Adrienne have had about ten days at sea and maybe a week more before we arrive in the Canaries. Life revolves around the winds and watch schedule to sail the best through those winds.
So many questions; so many answers— Some of us take the time to listen, remaining disconnected from the “outside world”. Captain Erik set a course for the center of a big High pressure system the other day for a swim. We sailed to the calm, water skier’s paradise…. As we were in the eye of the High, we witnessed clouds and squalls all around us, moving in different directions.
Taking your turn at the wheel seems to be the highlight of each watch. We do a half hour each with a spotter at the stern to help if needed. Steering a true course is an art form that i don’t doubt takes countless hours of practice. As you watch the bow swing back and forth you have to feel the wind in the right spot on your face, the force of the rudder on the wheel, all while paying attention to the compass heading.
At around 10 a.m. local time and 15 p.m. UTC the 25th, we crossed the equator!! While congratulations were happening, a lot more was going on. Besides King Neptune making its way to FALKEN, hundreds of seabirds had their breakfast all along our starboard.