Sailing adventures on a Hallberg Rassy 40 in higher latitudes
Since clearing into the US we’ve slowed down due to extreme weather and social visits. It was a tough sail to Portland that left Snow Bear frozen, but we made it safely. We had a great Christmas, explored Portland and Portsmouth. Now, we’re wintering in Gloucester, doing a few boat projects and enjoying the area’s rich maritime and cultural scene
In this post, we take a moment to vent some of our frustrations with the current technologies and cartography that we sailors rely on to safely navigate the seas. These tools are critical for keeping us off the rocks, yet all too often, they fall short in quality, reliability, or usability.
After a pleasant crossing from Labrador to Newfoundland, we explored St. Anthony’s and the historic L’Anse aux Meadows, marking the end of our Viking Route. Stops in Lewisporte, Twillingsgate, Bonavista, and finally St. John’s offered scenic hikes, vibrant local culture, boat maintenance, and incredible encounters with local hospitality and 2 difficult harbour entrances.
We spent a month in southern Greenland and had an amazing time visiting this quite remote destination. We had heard rumours of an amazing anchorage and were not disappointed by it. The supermarkets here are so well-stocked, which really surprised us, but there is one thing we just couldn’t find! And we also share the recipe for a great drink to make to celebrate a successful cold crossing.
While waiting for the ice to clear and right wind to make the passage to Greenland we have been exploring the beautiful Western part of Iceland. The steep mountains often makes the gust in the harbours accelerate so the windy nights can come as a big surprise. We are really glad we had the extra time to explore more of Iceland and visit many excellent and completely free harbours.
We spent almost 3 weeks in Reykjavík as we visited relatives and had friends visiting the boat. This gave us a chance to experience a lot of the city. We also had the time to do some boat work and order new bikes and a VHF for the boat. In this post you can also get a discount code for reusable 316L filter for your watermaker.
We spent a week in Tórshavn harbour, where we rented a car and drove around the Faroe Islands. Following the scenic routes in the road map is very pretty, but it is a good idea to bring food and drinks on the trip. We also visited the famous bar on the island Nólsoy.
We arrived in Oban, Scotland on a sunny day, eager to explore. Oban proved ideal for stocking up provisions at local supermarkets. Although touristy with disappointing dining initially, we found a gem. Next, we motored to Tobermory, timed perfectly with its annual music festival. After enjoying the vibrant scene and friendly guest, our trip continued with to Canna Island, filled with historical sites and stunning natural beauty.
We had to sail back to Ballycastle to wait for the right weather to go to Scotland and continue North. But we put some of our resources in this post in case other people could find them useful. Ireland is definitely a fantastic place to sail and we
Sailing to Derry in Northern Ireland needed some careful planning. Swells and currents made it treacherous, but the Causeway coast’s cliffs were breathtaking. Mooring was a nightmare, akin to a Barentsburg night. Despite closed galleries, Derry’s history, food, and street art made it very memorable.