#11. FALKEN | Victoria to San francisco |Final Debrief
By Nikki, FALKEN Skipper | Each ‘final debrief’ has its own personality - this one particularly entertaining, as every so often a song would be turned up on the speaker and the girls would launch into a sailing inspired dance. Followed by more roars of laughter, and then back to another grounding, inspiring reflection. Many of the women shared how tough they had found the trip at certain moments, and how empowered they now feel after realizing - wow - “I am stronger than I thought I was.”
#11. FALKEN | Victoria to San francisco | Whales, Radar and gratitude
By Nikki, FALKEN Skipper | As the world turned dark grey, the clarity of the top of the mast and anywhere beyond the railings of the boat disappeared we realized that the last part of our trip we actually saw was a wildlife show. Gratitude was the word.
#11. FALKEN | Victoria to San francisco | Wanderers
By Hannah, FALKEN crew | At this moment we have sailed 545 miles south at 175 degrees and are currently crossing into the offshore waters beyond California. We are sailing wing and wing down wind, or as the French call it-butterfly-with fair winds and following seas that roll up to 10 feet.
#11. FALKEN | Victoria to San francisco | thanks mother nature
By Nikki, FALKEN Skipper | Around mid morning, the fog cleared and the North Westerlies gently started to fill in and by dinner time we turned off the engine and started to sail. It was a wonderful, peaceful, gentle day. Thanks Mother Nature. You are warming us ladies in softly.
#11. FALKEN | Victoria to San francisco | Reflecting on the wows
By Nikki, FALKEN Skipper | I’m writing from WOW island (ok I renamed it slightly - Wouwer Island officially). But, it does feel wow! Wow; so beautiful. Wow; so quiet. Wow; we are alone in paradise. I cannot believe somewhere so close to Seattle and Vancouver can be so peaceful, so empty.
#11. FALKEN | Victoria to San francisco | Big first day!
By Mia, FALKEN 1st Mate | This passage is one of our ‘All-Women passages’, something we started a few years ago. I remember so well when me, Nikki & Emma planned the first one in 2022 on ICEBEAR, and here we are, on the other side of the world with a group of 11 amazing women ready to set sail in the big ocean!
#10. FALKEN | Alaska to Victoria | Hello Victoria!
By Nikki, FALKEN Skipper | We had all sorts of conditions on this trip. We motored through narrow fjord like passages and gazed upon the remotest of remote landscapes. We sailed in thermal breezes, cutting through dead flat seawater like a knife through butter upwind in 15 knots. Wow does Falken love that.
#10. FALKEN | Alaska to Victoria | Top Speed!
By Andy, FALKEN Crew | It was 3AM, blowing 30 knots, ink black night before the moon rise. We were about 20 miles off Vancouver Island - a place visited by massive sunfish and rarely anyone else - surfing waves on 65’ FALKEN, hitting speeds of 14 and 15 knots…
#10. FALKEN | Alaska to Victoria | Wind or no wind?
By Manot, FALKEN Mate | When we slipped lines two days ago from Prince Rupert two days ago, the wind forecast was not very promising. But looking at the bigger picture, it was clear that we would sail through the border of two bigger weather systems, as well as all the thermal winds that might or might not turn up, depending on cloud cover etc.
#10. FALKEN | Alaska to Victoria | ELECTRIC DOLPHINS
By Andre, FALKEN Crew | It’s not often you find a pleasant surprise in a marine head. Last night I giggled as I realized bioluminescent dots were circling the flushing toilet bowl! After I joined the cockpit during night watch, I found our crew appreciating Falken’s bioluminescent and moonlit wake.
#10. FALKEN | Alaska to Victoria | Whales!
By Andre, FALKEN Crew | Stereotypical Alaska. We all know that stereotypes can be, at best, unfair and even sometimes downright wrong. This trip is my first time in Alaska and it’s a safe bet that I had some preconceived notions about what Alaskan scenery would be like. And let me tell you, it’s exactly how I imagined.
#10. FALKEN | Alaska to Victoria | WILD Alaska!
By Nikki, FALKEN Skipper | Hello from WILD Alaska! Our crew of 11 met at noon yesterday. With only 8 days to explore the rugged shores of our passage between Ketchikan and Victoria, we set off from the dock almost immediately after a quick safety briefing and orientation. It worked out well, because it only started raining once we had slipped!
#9. FALKEN | Hawaii to BC | Pudding
Blog by Stephanie L. FALKEN Crew | Of course I knew I wouldn’t starve on this journey. I did not, however, expect the breadth & quality of the bounty available to us every day. Clear expectations were laid out on the first day aboard. Each crew member is responsible for managing their own breakfast and lunch.
#9. FALKEN | Hawaii to BC | Whale (again!)
Blog by Lovis H. FALKEN Apprentice | Day 11 of the trip from Hawaii to Prince Rupert. This day started as misty as it ended. But out of the blue (actually the white) came a surprise. Another whale! It was alone and we only saw it twice before it returned back into the deep, but still! We think it was a humpback and that it was alone.
#9. FALKEN | Hawaii to BC | Whale!
Blog by Rob W. FALKEN Crew | On Thursday, we continued our course for 140 TWA, eking out the last miles we could from our starboard tack that started back in the trades. By mid-afternoon, we were driving more east than north, and it was time to gybe FALKEN to set us up for our coming approach to the coast.
#9. FALKEN | Hawaii to BC | WHAT TO DO TOMORROW?
Blog by Ken T. FALKEN Crew | More thoughts from the neophyte… A few nights ago as we concluded our evening updates, I remarked, “So what should we do tomorrow?” It garnered a laugh, but as soon as I said it I realized that this, for me, unexpectedly and concisely captured the essence of an undertaking such as this…
#9. FALKEN | Hawaii to BC | ALARM!
Blog by Doug M. FALKEN Crew | Our morning starts with the wind easing to about 12 knots with FALKEN making 7 knots on a deep reach North. The sea has flattened; and, we can see the vastness of the Pacific all around us. Then, an alarm pierces the silence!
#9. FALKEN | Hawaii to BC | Sailing North
Blog by Alex FALKEN Skipper | Another day has gone by as we continue our approach to the west side of the North Pacific High. Our plan is to carry on North for the next couple of days as the high pressure system moves further south, once on the North side of it we should have the right wind angle to put a gybe and start pointing at Dixon Entrance.
#9. FALKEN | Hawaii to BC | Mid Ocean 360
Blog by Tasha S. FALKEN Crew | Upon taking the helm at noon today, the NYC watch team noticed steering issues: looseness in the wheel accompanied by a tremor. Mate Mary quickly diagnosed and fixed one of the issues by adjusting the steering cables; however, the tremor remained. By this time Skipper Alex was up having been awakened by the fixing and remaining tremor.
#9. FALKEN | Hawaii to BC | Champagne Sailing
Blog by Mary, FALKEN Mate | Day 5 of being offshore and the general consensus is that everyone’s settled into the boat life now. We’ve been extremely well treated today, with champagne sailing through nearly smooth seas, and the wind direction veering to tease us with nearly downwind sailing…