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.

Good day from the beautiful clear blue Caribbean Sea! We had a lot of fun surfing Falken down long ocean swells today. It feels similar to snowboarding but on water instead of snow. An adrenaline rush for sure! Our top speed was about 14 knots while surfing down a swell.

A Rhyming Log | The ocean roared, the waves stood tall,
A feisty dance—she gave her all.
The deck walks endless, yet turned out fine,
No mishaps struck our careful line.
The fuse gave out, the power waned,
But soon was fixed—our mood regained.

This morning started with a seamless gybe, including the pole- Vilgot was suitably impressed with Dolphin watches speed at their first gybe with pole. Since then we’ve been in gorgeous sailing conditions, heading straight to our waypoint just above Barranquilla.

Falken is flying furiously downwind with two reefs in the main and the jib on a pole. We had our first sighting of dolphins who were accompanied by a school of flying trying desperately to escape their demise. Spirits are high and I couldn’t more impressed with what 8 total strangers in the middle of an ocean can accomplish with great leadership. Human spirit at its finest.

Sailing across an ocean normally requires a bit of slaloming; you’re likely to abandon your great circle route searching for more favorable conditions. This specific passage with ADRIENNE from Sint Maarten to the Canaries is no different. This is NOT a route where we simply can follow the great circle route.  While drawing a straight line from Sint Maarten to Gran Canaria we end up with two very different weather patterns …