Iceland: Spending Time With Friends

Frances and Snow Dagon, Siglufjordur

With Icelandic friends in Siglufjordur and Bill and Sarah coming from California to visit Frances. It was the right time for Krystina to sneak a quick trip back to England to ride her horse Dillon. Frances had told Krystina she would spend the four days before Bill and Sarah arrived working on boat tasks. When Krystina arrived in England and saw the photos that Johanna was posting on facebook, she was doubtful that anyone was getting anything constructive done in her absence. It looked as if Frances, Johanna and Hildur were spending their time soaking in the hot tub, drinking hot chocolate with rum and going to concerts. This turned out not to be far from the truth but to Frances’ credit she did manage to get a few tasks accomplished in between her various social engagements, including reupholstering the helm chair in the pilothouse.

Reupholstered Helm Chair

While Krystina was boarding the plane in Akureyri, Frances was playing musical chairs with Snow Dragon. She had gone back to sleep after waiting with Krystina for the 6.30am bus only to be woken up by the harbour master who needed Snow Dragon to leave the dock immediately to make room for a large fishing trawler that was due any minute. Frances anchored on her own, then Johanna and Hildur helped her bring Snow Dragon back to the dock after the trawler left the following day. 

Johanna And Snow Dragon Coming  Up To The Dock

Frances had a jammed packed schedule even before Bill and Sarah arrived. One day she worked on reupholstering the chair in the morning. Then went on a guided hike sponsored by the Folk Music Festival in the afternoon. Usually the route up the mountain behind Siglufjordur would involve walking along the old road but the road was closed due to construction and the group had to make their way up a steep slope through wet lupines, causing the enthusiasm of some of the hikers to wane and the group gradually reduced from 15 to 6. The hike took longer than expected but Frances managed to make it back in time to get ready for her chauffeured haircut. She had enquired at tourist information where she could get her hair cut and the young man behind the desk whipped out his cell phone and made her an appointment with his hairdresser. He then explained that it would be difficult to find and insisted on driving her. After her hair cut, she went over to Johanna’s for dinner and a quick dip in the hot tub before the Fiddler On The Roof concert in the Herring Era Museum boat house. No wonder Krystina couldn’t get her on the phone when she tried to call! 

Hiking Icelandic Style Though The Lupines 

When Frances didn’t hear from Bill and Sarah, she began to worry. We knew they were scheduled to fly into Rekjavik and were going to spend the day catching up on their sleep and exploring the city before driving up to Silglufjordur the following day. Frances called Krystina and asked her to phone the airlines and when they couldn't disclose any information Krystina called Frances' son Colin in California, waking him up on his birthday. Colin was able to confirm that his Aunt and Uncle had arrived in Rekjavik and figured they were just taking their time driving to Siglufjordur. Bill and Sarah finally showed up just as Johanna was taking the leg of lamb out of the oven in honor of their visit. It turned out they had sent an email when they arrived in Rekjavik but for some unknown reason it did not reach Frances until 24hrs after it was sent. Then they got delayed when they stopped to fuel their rental car and Bill accidentally put petrol instead of diesel. An easy mistake as green in the US means diesel but in Europe means unleaded petrol. He rapidly realized his mistake and found a mechanic who assured him he hadn’t put enough in to harm the engine and to continue filling with diesel to dilute the petrol. Though the solution was simple it took awhile to notify the rental car company and make sure they were happy with the mechanics' advice.

Adalheidur Eysteinsdottir Exhibition, Akureyri

Bill and Sarah arrived in time to have dinner at Johanna’s and then go with Frances to the Egils Saga concert. Again the concert was in the Herring Era Museum boathouse with the performers using the old herring boat as their stage, it was a superb venue. The story was told in Icelandic but Bill had just read the Saga so he had some idea what was going on. Then they returned to Johanna's where Bill and Sarah were staying as Bill is very sensitive to motion sickness and could not stay on Snow Dragon. 

 Bill And Sarah Polybagging 

Their first full day in Siglufjordur involved hiking up through the ski area to the old road pass with Frances and polybagging down. Then they returned to the house to find the geothermal heated hot tub filled and ready for use. Johanna was already soaking in the warm water with a beer in hand and invited everyone to grab a drink and join her. It was a welcome sight for three cold and wet hikers who happily joined her and used the time relaxing in the hot tub to plan their trip to the volcanically active area of Myvatn the next day. After diner they all went to another concert in the boat house, this time the singers and band told the story of a Dane who proclaimed himself King of Iceland and ruled for six weeks in the early 19th Century. All the concerts were superb, a real credit to the performers and festival organizers.

 Krystina And Dillon

While it was still cold, rainy and at times lightly snowing in Iceland, Krystina arrived in England at the beginning of a heat wave. Both her and Dillon had to adjust to the 30C temperature on top of Krystina having to get used to sleeping in the dark. Going from 24 hours of daylight to 6 hours of dark turned out to be a strange experience and the dark actually kept her awake. With the exception of her first night back when going to bed at 4.30 in the morning in Iceland finally caught up with her. She surprisingly woke up on her own thinking her 9am alarm was about to go off only to realize it was 2.30 in the afternoon and that she had missed an appointment. At least she didn’t miss her first ride of the week on Dillon, the first of several fantastic rides. Though it has not been easy owning horses while being away for long periods of time. Krystina has fortunately found the perfect livery and training environment at Aston Stud where Bruce and Allison Haskell and their staff take fantastic care of both horse and rider. Now Krystina no longer has to worry about their care and when she is in England she can focus on her development as a rider, she couldn’t be happier.    

 Dillon Eating A Banana, His Favorite Post Ride Snack

For more photos please click on Friends Album or to learn more about Aston Stud

Iceland: Return To Siglufjordur

Snow Dragon Docked In Front Of The Harbour Cafe

Our reception in Siglufjordor was just as special as it was in 2010. Before we could even finish trying Snow Dragon to the dock, Tomas from The Harbour Cafe was down giving Frances a hug and welcoming us back. In the morning, Tomas raised a huge American flag outside his cafe in our honor just as he had done three years ago. When our friend Halldor woke up and saw the flag he asked himself if it was the 4th of July? Then he saw the mast and realized in must be Snow Dragon. Halldor came down to the harbour to welcome us, happy with our surprise arrival as he had not gotten the message that we were returning.

Siglufjordur

To take advantage of a rain free day, we decided to walk to the small forest just outside of town that was planted in the 1940s. Trees are a rare sight in Iceland and it is still not known if the Vikings were referring to trees or shrubs in the Sagas as the same term is used to describe both types of vegetation. While we were wondering through the spruce trees we came across a slide and Frances couldn't resist testing it. 

Frances Testing Out The Slide

When we visited the Harbour Cafe we learned that Tomas was now producing Black Death Beer in addition to his line of Black Death Vodka. We ordered a couple bottles to test his new product and teased him about Black Death not being on tap. He responded by inviting us to his garage were he has a private bar with a keg of Black Death that he uses for parties with friends and to keep the construction workers that are working on his house happy. With pints in hand, Tomas gave us a tour of the garage where he stores an old single cylinder diesel engine that he is planning to restore. While we enjoyed our beer, he played us a recording on the sound system of his Range Rover of what the engine would sound like once it was running. Something only boat owners would appreciate.

Tomas Serving Black Death Beer

Just as we were finishing our tour of Tomas' house, our friend Johanna and her friend Hildur arrived from Rejkavik. Krystina invited everyone back to Snow Dragon and made quesadillas for a much welcomed midnight snack while everyone chatted. Then we went over with Johanna to her sister's summer house to continue catching up, returning at 4.30 in the morning with the sun shinning on the snow covered mountains, the start of another beautiful day in Siglufjordur.

Leg Of Icelandic Lamb

Krystina woke up early to make Johanna a rum apple birthday cake. Then we went for a quick run on the avalanche defense wall overlooking the town before joining Johanna and Hildur for dinner. They had prepared a lovely feast including leg of lamb served with rhubarb jam, an icelandic tradition. Then headed off to a Blue North Music Festival in Olafsfjorur, a nearby town. Once again returning in the early hours of the morning.

A Local Group Performing, Blue North Music Festival

After a brunch of leftover lamb. The four of us set off to explore the area west of Siglufjordur by car. On the way, we stopped off to see Johanna’s son and daughter who were visiting their father and his family. In true Icelandic fashion, we were warmly welcomed and offered coffee and cake as they showed us the family photo album. Then we moved on to the Icelandic Emigration Center at Hofosm where we learned more about the conditions that caused Icelanders to emigrate to North America and the difficulties they faced when they resettled. 

Before leaving Hofsos, Johanna showed us the spectacular outdoor community pool that was funded by two local residents. The pool gives the impression that it’s flowing into the sea and like all pools in Iceland, is heated by the country’s abundant source of geothermal energy, making it a pleasant place to  swim year-round. Our road trip continued, the only traffic concern were the Icelandic horses being herded along the road 

Icelandic Horse Being Herded

At Grettislaug, a natural hot spring that has been in use since Viking times and the main reason for our adventure. Frances, Johanna and Hildur lingered in the warm water of the stone lined pool. While Krystina was kept amused by a tourist in the Grettislaug Café trying to book a fishing trip but did not understanding why there was no guarantee that fish would be caught.  

Hildur, Johanna And Frances, Grettislaug Hot Spring

The sky was clear and the sun was shinning as we drove back and we decided to stop at the Lonkot Bucolic Resort for a drink so we could enjoy the view of Skagafjordur. One of the owners gave us a tour of the renovated rooms with their elegant detail and just the right amount of bold colors and patterns to give the hotel a memorable character. Originally a sheep and cow farm the hotel is still family owned and they have done a fantastic job renovating the property.

Skagafjordur

This time we returned to Snow Dragon shortly after midnight so that Krystina could pack for a quick trip to England and get an hour's sleep before catching the bus to the airport.

For more photos please click on Siglufjordur Album

Iceland: 3 Miles From The Arctic Circle

We were intrigued by Raufarhoefn, the northernmost port on mainland Iceland, located just three miles south of the arctic circle. After tying up to the floating dock in the fishing harbour we headed over to the hotel for a drink. The chef said we were welcome to use the wifi but it was expensive. Krystina realized he was joking and replied, isn’t everything in Iceland? Then roamed the building to find enough internet signal to upload photos.

Snow Dragon Before The Fog, Raufarhoefn

It had been a clear afternoon when we arrived but within minutes of settling into the hotel bar, fog rolled in completely cloaking the town. The air was cold and damp as we walked back to Snow Dragon, hopeful the fog would clear by the time we finished dinner. A yacht in Raufarhoefn was an unusual sight and some of the local fisherman walked along the dock to get a closer look at Snow Dragon. They seemed happy with us just waving from the pilothouse while we ate our dinner.

Snow Dragon In Fog, Raufarhoefn

When the fog showed no sign of dissipating, we decided to go for a walk anyway and headed for the ruins that we saw when we first entered the harbour. On the way, the road took us through the nesting grounds of arctic terns. Though we never left the road and their chicks had already flown, they still felt we where a threat and dived at our heads threating to attack us. To deter them, we found a couple of sticks that we held above our heads to prevent them from getting too close. We kept our sticks for the walk back while we toured the ruins which turned out to be a modern henge that was still under construction. 

Modern Henge, Raufarhoefn

The fog was still thick when we returned to Snow Dragon and we made hot chocolate while we debated sleeping for a few hours in hope of the fog clearing or moving on. In the end we decided to head out at 1.30 in the morning with virtually no visibility. Krystina backed Snow Dragon off the dock and carefully followed the range markers and used our incoming track on the plotter as a reference. While being careful not to let the fog completely disorientate her as the rocks on either side of the channel made brief, ghostly appearances.

The one comforting thing about navigating with limited visibility in Iceland is  that all Icelandic vessels are required to run AIS, an automatic tracking system. This means that since we also have AIS, our system will pick up another vessels signal and display their position and course on our chartplotter. In addition to our radar, it greatly reduces our risk of running into another vessel.

At 6am the wind came up suddenly and cleared the fog. It was nice to be able to shut off the engine and sail even if the fluky wind made it difficult to settle on an ideal sail trim.  We hoped to see whales as we passed Skjalfandafloi, outside of Husavik, but the wind had increased and the sea was rough making it impossible to tell the difference between a whale and the splash of a wave.

Flatey

The wind finally settled into a consistent pattern by the time we neared Flatey, an island that we are especially fond of from our previous visit. Though it was tempting to continue sailing we were also fairly certain the wind was going to disappear or go west fairly soon and decided to stop. There was more protection by anchoring in Flateyjardalur on the mainland side across from Flatey. While we were about to sit down for dinner, Krystina heard a boat approaching which turned out to be a zodiac full of men in survival suits and helmets. It turned out we had alarmed the coast guard by anchoring in an unusual location and turning our AIS off and they had sent the boat out to check on us. 

View Of Flateyjardalur

The following morning we continued on to Siglifijordur and as we were crossing Eyjafjordur we finally spotted another whale. The lone humpback kept its distance and it wasn’t until we continued that we noticed a few other whales were feeding along the shore in the distance. 

Fluke Of A Humpback, Eyjafjordur

For more photos please click on Raufarhoefn Album 

Iceland: Puffins And Whales Up Close

The swell made it impossible to anchor off Bakkagerdi, the small town in Borgarfjordur so we moved over to the east side of the fjord and tucked in behind Hafnarholmi peninsula.  It took two attempts to get our anchor to set in the rocky bottom and a local boat came out to watch, probably wondering why we weren’t coming into the small fishing harbour.

Puffin Landing , Hafnarholmi Peninsula

The peninsula was full of nesting puffins and kittiwakes. We could see people with telephoto lenses waiting patiently on the well placed viewing platforms for the perfect shot, even though it was getting late. In the morning we went ashore to make our own attempt at photographing the puffins. When we took the dinghy into the fishing harbor, we realized its tight entrance was deceiving and there was actually plenty of space for Snow Dragon. However, by being at anchor we had a better view of the fjord and were happy with our decision.  

Puffins, Hafnarholmi peninsula

To avoid getting swept along with a tour bus group that had made a quick stop to check out the bird reserve, we went over to a less popular platform where the kittiwakes were nesting with their adorable fuzzy chicks. While the kittiwakes were dozing in between feeding their chicks pre-chewed food, the puffins were busy catching fish to feed their young. Returning with multiple fish hanging out of their beaks and pausing outside their burrows long enough to dry off before disappearing inside.

Road Out Of Bakkagerdi

Our plan had been to return to shore and explore the mountains but we knew that westerly winds were coming and we needed to move on. Our compromise was to take Snow Dragon back across the bay and have a walk near Bakkagerdi. The harbourmaster met us as we were tying up our dinghy and mentioned that we liked to anchor in some strange places. When we asked if anywhere in town had Wifi, he kindly gave us a ride across the street to the restaurant where we split a beer and a fantastic batch of fries while we did a quick email check. It was still tempting to take off into the mountains but we stuck to our plan of enjoying a short walk. Finally, we pulled anchor at 8.30pm and set off on an overnight passage.

Midnight Sun

An hour into Krystina’s watch, she looked out of the pilothouse window and saw a humpback whale fluke. She turned off the engine and let Snow Dragon drift to give the whales the choice of coming over to see us. Frances had just gotten to sleep but didn’t mind being woken up once she went on deck and saw two humpbacks approaching us. For 30 minuets they stayed closed to us, occasionally fluking and disappearing then reappearing on the opposite side. We had been cursing the lack of sailing wind but the calm made it ideal conditions for stopping to watch the humpbacks searching for food, not a bad way to start the day.

Humpback Whales Alongside Snow Dragon 

For more photos please click on Puffins And Whales Album

Iceland: Inventing An Anchorage

Low Cloud, Seydisfjordur

Before leaving Seydisfjordur, we topped off Snow Dragon’s water tanks with the dock hose that was fed directly by a powerful stream, giving the continuously running hose a life of its own as we wrestled it onboard trying not to douse each other in the ice cold water. Krystina took advantage of the exceptional water pressure and hosed Snow Dragon off to clear the salt from the deck, hardware and windows. A quick task with no scrubbing required thanks to the force of the water.

After spending a good portion of the previous day glued to our computers trying to download the mac version of our satellite weather program which turned into a true test of patience. For both us and the staff of the Hotel Aldan Cafe.  Luckily the staff at the Café were very understanding and allowed us to stay as long as we needed. The upside of spending the beautiful day inside was Krystina was able to use the time to uploaded two new blog posts and photo albums while enjoying the view from the Café. With Ocens WeatherNet finally installed and tested, we were ready to leave Seydisfjordur and go somewhere a little more remote.

 

Lodmundarfjordur

Lodmundarfjordur, the next fjord to the north, was not an official anchorage but the chart showed appropriate anchoring depths and we thought with the settled weather we would give it a shot. Surrounded by horizontal bands of rock, raised beaches and snow scattered table top mountains with no town and only 4WD access. Lodmundarfjordur was indeed the quiet, spectacular fjord anchorage that we were hoping for. 

On shore we joined the gravel road and followed it along the raised beach admiring the orchids, dwarf willow and buttercups before turning uphill to the snow, which was unfortunately too rotten to walk on in trail shoes. We continued around the snow and up to a point were we could see the next range of snow-covered mountains and overlook the fjord. Along the trail their were thousands of moths fluttering near the ground seeming to enjoy the relatively warm day, showing no fear that we might accidentally step on them.

 Krystina Running, Lodmundarfjordur

The 4WD drive trail was a pleasure to walk on and in the morning Krystina decided to take advantage of the spectacular surroundings and go for a run. This time we went in the direction of the river valley and beach at the head of the fjord. Frances started off running as well but kept getting distracted by photographing orchids. At first we thought the stream was going to prevent us from reaching the beach but then we found the primitive log bridge that was put in to allow adventurous 4WD access. Before heading back we sat on a rock near the water and enjoyed watching families of eider ducks and a curious seal who swam over and inspected us. 

    Primative Bridge on 4WD Track 

For More Photos Please Click On  

Lodmundarfjordur Album

Iceland: Returning To A Familiar Place

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.

 

 A custom’s official promptly came and checked us into Iceland. A very simple process where the official fills out most of the forms for us and only needs a few signatures. When we told him it was Snow Dragon’s 15^th Birthday he was highly amused and thought it was a wonderful occasion to celebrate.

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

The Faroe Islands: Leaving Is Not Always Easy

Small Fuel Dock, Torshavn

Though it would have been nice to spend to spend another week in the Faroe Islands, we had to settle for 4 days as the weather was ideal for crossing to Iceland. On the way out of Torshavn harbour we attempted to squeeze onto the small fuel dock, between a 90 degree concrete wall and large slopping boulders. When we were almost alongside, we realized the dock was indeed too short and moved Snow Dragon away before the dinghy and outboard motor hanging in the davits came in contact with the concrete wall.

We had enough diesel to get to Iceland but it was much more cost-effective to fill in the Faroe Islands. There was a fuel depot nearby so we thought it was worth pulling up to the commercial dock and enquiring whether they could send a truck. Sure enough they understood the difficulty getting into the official fuel dock and had no problem sending a truck. We were a little confused when they asked us what kind of diesel we wanted, a choice that is not normally given. In the end we settled for the same kind the fishing boats were using, figuring that was what Snow Dragon was used to.

Fueling, Torshavn

Once Snow Dragon was topped up with 500 liters of diesel we continued around the south of Streymoy and through Vestmannasund. On the west side of Streymoy, we did another weather check to see if we could spend another day in the Faroe Islands without loosing our weather window to Iceland. The forecast showed favorable southerly quadrant wind for two days, a day of variables and then northerly for the rest of the week. We decided to risk the variables turning into headwinds and stopped at Tjornuvik, which came highly recommended by an American photographer who we met in Torshavn and our cruising guide, which listed it as the best anchorage in the Faroe Islands. 

Entering Tjornuvik 

The stop was worth the risk. At anchor we could see glorious sea stacks, explore a hidden waterfall by dinghy and walk around a delightful village. The lower slopes of the huge amphitheater were covered with very lush green grass that was soon going to be cut for hay to feed the sheep in the winter. 

We left the Faroe Islands with both sadness and excitement. Our time in the North Atlantic showed us just how spectacular the sailing based travel could be in the area and we longed to return to Ireland, Scotland and the Faroe Islands. Finally after one more trip to see the waterfall, we pulled anchor and said goodbye to Tjornuvik. Our one consolation was that we knew from previous experience that Iceland and Greenland were well worth the effort.

Krystina Inspecting The Hidden Waterfall, Tjornuvik

For more photos please click on Leaving Faroe Islands Album