Icelandic Fishing Boats Passing Snow Dragon At Sea
Our voluntary delay leaving for Iceland did not
negatively impact our passage. Twenty knot southerly winds prevailed, only reducing
and then turning to light headwinds as we neared Iceland’s dramatic southeast
coast. At first we could only glimpse snow-capped peaks above the fog, suddenly
the fog cleared and we could see the mountains meeting the sea.
Twelve miles offshore the Icelandic Coast Guard
called on the VHF and asked why we hadn’t reported our entry into Icelandic
waters. When we explained that we thought we needed to be closer to be in VHF
range due to the mountainous surroundings, they were very understanding. After
answering a few questions they asked us to email them our full names, passport
information and cruising plans. The officer on duty was already reading the
email when Krystina called him on 16 to confirm the information had been sent. He
then asked her to give details that would help the Coast Guard identify Snow
Dragon in the event a search and rescue operation was needed. After being
thanked profusely for our cooperation they alerted customs in Seydisfjordur
with our ETA.
Snow Dragon Approaching Southeast Iceland
Seydisfjordur is the same port of entry we used three
years ago in May during Snow Dragon’s first trip to Iceland. This time we clearly
weren’t the first boat of the season, there were three sailboats filling the
visitor’s dock so we came up to the neighboring commercial quay instead. A port
security officer kindly offered to help us with our lines but when he didn’t
secure our bow line immediately we could not use the tension of the line to power
the stern in with the engine. The combined current from the outfall of all the
streams swollen by melting snow pushed Snow Dragon away from the dock. With
Snow Dragon sitting perpendicular to the quay we knew we needed to convince him
to untie the bow line he had finally secured and let us re-approach the dock.
After trying unsuccessfully to pull Snow Dragon in by hand, he finally got the
message that even with another guy helping him, she was too heavy to be
manhandled and released our line. Our second docking attempt went much more
smoothly and the guys made sure we were far enough back that we would be out of
the way of the other vessels using the quay.
Snow Dragon doesn’t return to the same
place often and it’s strange being able to walk off the boat knowing exactly
where everything is. With our weakness for Icelandic sweaters, it wasn’t
surprising that in less than an hour of being on land, Krystina had already
purchased an Icelandic felted wool jacket. While we were using the café Wi Fi
and having coffee Frances found herself explaining to a French couple what
Angelica looked like and where they might find it, it made us feel like locals.
Back on Snow Dragon we returned our
attention to celebrating Snow Dragon’s birthday. After debating opening a
bottle of champagne or a bottle of Ukrainian sparkling, we deciding on the
sparkling since it was from a place that Snow Dragon had been. We toasted Snow
Dragon and our friend Ingrid who shares the same birthday. Then we thought we
should actually “toast” Snow Dragon. Krystina suggested her bow sprit and
Frances the mast but we realized that both of those had been replaced and
weren’t 15 years old. In the end we settled on the cockpit.
Frances And Krystina Toasting Snow Dragon
To make room for the Apple Marzipan
Galette that we made for Snow Dragon we went for a walk in search the rhubarb plant
we had harvested during our last trip. Frances remembered it being just past
the last building on the way out of the fjord. To insure the rhubarb search
didn’t spill into the next fjord, Krystina set a cutoff point. A few yards from
the turn around point, Frances spotted the rhubarb plant amongst the lupines.
With an armful of rhubarb to make jam and chutney we returned to Snow Dragon
and the galette.
Snow Dragon's Birthday Galette
For more photos please click on Iceland Arrival Album
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