By Jacob, FALKEN Crew | Collectively, we misplaced most of Saturday. Arriving to Kiribati Saturday, ships time, we were faced with the disconcerting conundrum of sailing directly into Sunday, Kiribati time, owing to a largish hemorrhoid in the international dateline and cozy bro-mance between Australia and the Line Islands.

BLOG BY ORIE | Equator - Bring it on! Apparently, a spy boarded FALKEN, unbeknownst to the several polywogs aboard — heralding our approach to the royal line. Having been duly notified of the impending rite of passage by King Neptune’s herald and prepared for the equitorial approach by our flamboyant navigator, we anxiously prepare gifts…

As usual I asked the crew for blog ideas and this is what I got:

It’s Thursday, Istvan has learnt a new colour- sea foam.
Orie’s thrilled with how the days are filled with something remarkable- be that something visual, or a teaching moment. Even in the middle of the vast ocean the days are filled with something.

The Pacific is, it turns out, is rather large. Mind bogglingly so. Current estimates suggest it’s 79,108 miles across. North to south, about 530,012 miles, which, in a curious turn of coincidence, is the same temperature in the forepeak cabin this morning.

The Pacific is, it turns out, is rather large. Mind bogglingly so. Current estimates suggest it’s 79,108 miles across. North to south, about 530,012 miles, which, in a curious turn of coincidence, is the same temperature in the forepeak cabin this morning.

The common consensus was that yesterday gave us a little bit of everything. Squally weather with large downfalls of cool rain, no wind, some wind, wind in the right direction, wind in the wrong direction, some birds and a large birthday tuna caught by the birthday girl, Mary.

FALKEN has been ticking miles off nicely and the crew are all well into the watch system. Today we got up to a much more squally day, with lighting and thunderstorms around us indicating our proximity to the ITCZ, the forecast is promising and with a light day ahead expected tomorrow everything seems to be as straight forward as sailing goes.

Approaching the 24 hour mark since slipping lines from Tahiti, I asked the self named ‘Spare Change’ watch for a sentence or two about their experience at sea so far. They are as follows:

I’m sitting in the nav station while the crew are having some coffee on deck. Checklists are done, briefings are completed and all is left to do is re-fuel before we head out to sea. I always have mixed emotions before slipping lines, it doesn’t matter if it’s for a day-sail around the solent or to cross the Pacific…

Well here we are beating back from Bora Bora to Tahiti. So far this year I have sailed over 8500 nm on FALKEN and today was the first time I’ve tacked her. It’s interesting because mostly I think I prefer downwind sailing when the boat is flatter and you don’t need crampons to get to the snack cupboard but upwind has its advantages.

Well the forecast wind was somewhat under estimated for our sail from Tahiti to Bora Bora. The sea state was also somewhat larger than expected but nonetheless the crew dug deep and we sailed our way through 20 hours to make landfall at 0800 yesterday.

A great day was had by all yesterday as the new crew of the good ship FALKEN came together for the first time and began the safety briefing process. It’s good to see an eclectic mix of cultures and our French Canadien contingent will be really helpful in our communications locally over the next week. Passage plan in place we set sail for Bora Bora at 1100 this morning.

The contrast between the chaotic anchorage at Taiohae in Nuku Hiva, to the tranquility of Kauehi village couldn’t have been any more stark. Where in Nuku Hiva FALKEN rolled heavily in the unbroken swell which backwashed against the seawall, we sat perfectly still inside the protected lagoon at Kauehi atoll.

FALKEN made landfall at tiny Taiaro, an uninhabited (but with signs of life) atoll about 25 miles northwest of our goal, Kauehi. Ryan spotted the palm trees poking above the horizon about 8 miles out, just before 1500 and called an enthusiastic ”LAAAAAAND HO!” As we approached at speed, the island soon resolved into that classic image of South Pacific desert island…

Anyway, it’s HOT! But I have a philosophy that you’re never allowed to complain about anything so long as you’re sailing fast and in the right direction, and that we are certainly doing. FALKEN has covered 317 miles now in 36 hours, and the breeze couldn’t be any better. 15-20 knots apparent on the beam, two reefs in the main and some of the jib furled up and we are flying.ssage we tend to sit tight in one place and recover, doing small boat projects, going exploring ashore where we can, but generally not moving the boat.

I wasn’t sure we’d ever get out of Nuku Hiva. After spending 2+ weeks on anchor in a rolly Taiohae Bay, both Emily and I were ready for a chance of scenery. We’re not your typical cruisers — after a passage we tend to sit tight in one place and recover, doing small boat projects, going exploring ashore where we can, but generally not moving the boat.

It’s HOT. And very humid. This equatorial sailing, nothing can prepare you for the heat! When you sleep, whatever side of your body that’s against the cushions and the sheet leaves a sweaty imprint. It’s like a crime scene outline, but in sweat. It’s gross.

It’s HOT. And very humid. This equatorial sailing, nothing can prepare you for the heat! When you sleep, whatever side of your body that’s against the cushions and the sheet leaves a sweaty imprint. It’s like a crime scene outline, but in sweat. It’s gross.

FALKEN crossed the 3,000-miles sailed threshold yesterday afternoon, and while those 3,000 miles was indeed pretty fast, the final 300 are proving frustratingly slow. We’ve sailed into a wind hole, the SE trades that kept us going at a 220+ miles-per-day clip for so long have faded into a light easterly breeze that more often than not doesn’t have enough pressure in it to keep the sails full in the small, annoying sea state.

Last night gave us some wonderful light winds sailing on a relatively flat sea that allowed the whole crew to catch up on much needed sleep after the excitement of the night previous. There’s nothing like a night time kite drop followed by an engine fire alarm to keep everyone alert and full of adrenaline and after reconciling all issues it was a huge relief to go from the ridiculous to the sublime.