Freja Racing

Is anyone going to be a the finish line in Hawaii to take photos when they arrive?

Thank you for all your great messages and questions. I’ll be sending those along to the boat after this.

Email from Taylor last night at 11:01pm

Hello!

After approximately 22 years on starboard tack, we threw in our first gybe and are taking a jog south. Everyone has found themselves needing to recalibrate to driving/sailing/living with everything going opposite. We have found the seas to be a bit more friendly and with us heading this way, though.

In other weather related news - for any of those concerned about the words "major hurricane" in a recent email, we have an update. JD and I have been tracking the tropical charts, with race committee monitoring the situation as well, and Darby should pass ahead and to the south of us. From Race Committee:
Conclusions: Hurricane Darby is NOT a threat to the race and is expected to pass south of Hawaii in a much weakened form during the 16/17th timeframe.

Phew.

We just had an amazing moon-set, and JD has decorated the boat in glow sticks in celebration of us reaching half-way.

Jonah just hit a 13knot surf and it's just about my turn to drive, so time to head back up.

Taylor

And another one from Jon early this morning at 4:58AM

Good morning.

Nice sailing overnight with a full moon and good wind. Last evening we had a brief but fun 1/2-way party.

Team and boat are doing great and hoping this good wind continues.

Cheers, Jon

Cheers!
Lindsey

SEND YOUR MESSAGE TO FREJA! 13.6KT BOAT SPEED (!) AND OTHER PANTS-RELATED TOPICS

Hello Freja Hype Machine!

Messages and Questions from you to the crew are welcome and encouraged as it has something for me to send to them other than my stupid comments like “make sure to take your pirate showers so you’re not too stinky”. Which is what I sent them today along with some messages from a couple of you :)

Update from JD at 12:26AM – he was asked how his sleep compares to at home with a newborn. I was guessing his sleep would be BETTER on the boat, but evidently it’s not since he’s the dad and not the mom. :)

re: JD's sleep. That's tough. On the boat, I am at a constant level of sleep depravation, so I attempt to sleep whenever I'm off watch; whereas at home with Kenna, I am usually very tired when I am up with her at night but am still able to get a full night of sleep (eventually). So I think my sleep is worse on the boat. Waking up every 3 hours is what Kristin has been doing all this time!

- JD

And then a hilarious update from Jonah today at 6:52AM. OMG. Those middle of the night watches get pretty loopy and funny I’m sure.

Good morning from the 2am-6am watch crew on Freja (Taylor/Molly/Jonah/Jake), just coming down below after 4 hours of happiness doing a hot spinnaker reach in 12-18 kt. I (Jonah) started it off right by getting up early so I could have another bowl of the outstanding mac & cheese and pulled pork left over from dinner. It only got better from there sailing under a powered up and moonlit kite and surfing the waves whenever possible.

Important discussion topics during the watch included "exactly what kind of a chalk/dirt mixture do these caffeinated espresso hammer gels taste like?", and "what's your favorite method for getting your pants back up in the head without falling over when the boat is heeled?" and my personal favorite "how to communicate effectively with your significant other while still never admitting when you're wrong".

The conversation flows simultaneously in parallel with the interjections made by sailors at work: wind shifting left, now at 006, OK to come down... helm is light, I'll take a little more main... the darkness over to windward looks darker than the darkness elsewhere, expect more wind soon... heading currently 220... working up, prepare for some more spice... 13.6 kt boat speed!! NOICE!!

Looking forward now to 6 hours off, better known amongst the crew as "the big sleeps".

-Jonah

I also wanted to pass along this cool article, a PaCUPdate, from Sailish.com which mentions Freja (including Molly and Jake!) and the other PNW boats. It’s from 2 days ago, sorry I meant to send it but then forgot.
https://sailish.com/

Meanwhile, back on land I’m at my desk when I should be doing work. Wishing I was out on the water. Talk to you all tomorrow!

Lindsey

sailish.com Sailing on the Salish Sea