Reykjavík, Iceland

We arrived today about 2 p.m.in Reykjavík after four plus days either sailing close hauled or motoring into wind, mostly northeast. The velocity was 25-30 knots since midnight last night. The waves were 1-2 meters high with intervals of about 4 seconds, so we were pounding through. Most of the time it was impossible to prepare meals because I was not sure food would stay in the pots or on the plates.

Now we are docked in a protected place at Brokey's Sailing Club just beside Harpa, the stunning concert hall and convention center on the waterfront. While we waited for Iceland Customs and the Border Police to arrive, we had lunch and then immediately got to work cleaning the boat and gathering up laundry. I cleaned down below and in the pilot house while Enis couldn't wait to hose down the exterior and get the stainless steel on deck free of salt. 

Mantra on the dock near Harpa

Harpa in the late afternoon sunlight

Most tourists arriving in this city would be anxious to see the sights, and we certainly are, but a higher priority for us is washing ourselves, our clothes, our sheets and our towels. There are two free-to-use standard size washers and dryers by the dock and clean and hot showers. Shalako didn't want to wait to get started on this, and we had to convince his that most countries are very strict about staying on the boat until you have been cleared in. He even tried to take a photo of one of the Border Police! 

In all, we have seven loads of laundry to do. We have been wearing the same clothes since we left Greenland; in fact, we were wearing the same clothes even before that! I was only able to get four loads done today, so that leaves three for tomorrow. It is nearly midnight and we are waiting for sheets and pillowcases to dry.

Showers have happened less than once a week. What a delight it was to stand under a hot shower for as long as we wanted to. 

We had dinner at a restaurant called Scandanavia. I had a salad--the first time in a long time--and a Coke Zero. We bought some Diet Coke on the way back to the boat.

Peter in a little park in the city

There are a lot of murals and art work thorughout the downtown area

Sculpture and Harpa reflecting the clouds at sunset

Mantra at sunset

There are still clothes in the washing machine and dryer, and I will deal with them in the morning. It's 1:30 a.m., and I need to go to bed.

Greenland Sea

We left Greenland in fog on the morning of Wednesday, August 27. For the most of the first two days of this passage, dense fog obscured the horizon. When the fog finally dissipated, we had broader visibility, but the atmosphere was still gloomy. We have only seen a patch of blue sky, very briefly.

Brief period of partially blue sky

We are only a day away from Iceland. We have had to use the engine some of the time, but we are sailing right now at 7 knots on a port tack, close reach, in 16 knot NE wind. Sometime in the early hours of this morning, the captain decided that our original destination, Patreksfjörður, was not possible to reach without pounding into the sea against the wind for a couple more days, so we altered course and are bound for Reykjavik now. 

Boredom happens! I was even so bored that I stood watch at night for three hours, relieving Shalako of duty. The only excitement has been the staysail freeing itself from some of its lashings and going off the starboard side and a little bird, a white wagtail, joining us by the starboard aft winch for a while earlier today. 

Staysail in the water

White wagtail

We managed to have a meal together last night and play a game of Hearts as conditions were stable, visibility was very poor and we are able to use our iPad to watch the charts and use radar. There was no advantage of having someone in the pilot house on watch. There are very few vessels out here. I have only seen one cruise ship on AIS. 

Otherwise, we chat, play a game, read or gaze at the charts and instruments for entertainment, eat when we feel hungry, and sleep where it is most comfortable. Shalako and Enis prefer to sleep in the pilot house under fleece blankets or duvets on the leeward side, and Peter and I have taken over the starboard couch and use our sleeping bags. A couple times, when Peter has been up and about and I have still been sleeping, Shalako has taken his place. Should we tell Patty that we are sleeping together?

Sherri and Peter sleeping on the couch

Shalako enjoying the cold, foggy weather with a smile

We hope to dock at the only yacht club in Reykjavik and take advantage of fresh water, real showers, free washing and drying machines, and access to land. Our provisions are holding out, but it will be great to re-supply.

Last adventures in Greenland. Halfway to Iceland

Back to Sunday, August 24:  Throughout the afternoon, we continued on through Prins Christian Sund, slowing down and approaching several other glaciers and waterfalls. 

Kangerluk glacier

Closer view of Kangerluk Glacier

Top of Kangerluk Glacier

The next big glacier was Sermeq Kujadleq, which means southern glacier, with the noun before the adjective. We never tired of gazing at them and waiting for calving to occur. We only saw pieces splash into the water. However, we tried to contain our excitement and stay quiet to listen to the grumbling, cracking and creaking.

Sermeq Kujatdleq

Details at the top of our view of the glacier

We haven't seen much animal life and were delighted to spot a seal swimming by, looking at us and we were looking at him. (I would like to include a short video, but I have not yet figured out how to do that.)

We were all very conscious of the ice in the water and navigated to avoid them. However, one of them was not sighted, and we ran over it. Everything was fine except the ice sheared off the forward-facing sonar, so we no longer have that the advantage of knowing the depth in uncharted anchorages.

Even the small growlers can cause damage to a ship

We anchored that night (Monday, August 25) in a cove at Aqigssiat. We confirmed that the forward-facing sonar was gone by pulling it out of the through-hull in the bilge of the forward cabin. 

Exiting Prins Christian Sund into the Northern Atlantic Ocean, we headed up the east coast. Cruising along (unfortunately motoring most of the time), we encountered views we had not seen before of the edge of the Greenland Ice Sheet. 

Southeast coast of Greenland

We were all in the cockpit playing Farkle when we were surprised by a loud gushing sound. Peter was in the right place to see an orca or killer whale (although it is really a dolphin) surface just off our starboard stern. He swam away and did not return. 

Orca swimming away from Mantra

We anchored at Grydevig island after cruising for a few hours to avoid the adverse current. Tundra slopes and monoliths and valleys were all around us. I particularly was fascinated by the variegated pigments and forms among the various strata of rock and the way they had crumpled and folded, revealing a symphony of hues:  rust-red, tan, a multitude of gray in a range of values. Contrasting these colors were various shades of green, from yellow-green to forest green, covering the areas that were not too steep and had a thin layer of soil.

A wide dike

Multi-colored slopes

Green tundra lifeforms among gray bedrock

It was a quiet evening with no other boats around. Enis, in many layers of clothing, toured around for a short while on the paddle board. 

Enis exploring Grydevig

We have rarely seen sunsets here because the cloud cover is too dense, but orange and yellow hues could be seen in the west that evening, and the clouds above it were tinged with pink and purple.

Sunset at Grydevig

Knowing that we would be starting our passage to Iceland soon, Peter changed the engine oil and filter, cleaned the strainer, added coolant, cleaned the refrigerator strainer and did other maintenance in the evenings after we had anchored. 

On Tuesday, August 26, we continued up the southeastern coast of Greenland and found icebergs of various shapes and sizes that are gigantic compared to those we had seen before. We also started to see a lot more blue ice, its striking color indicating that the ice is very old and dense, having been compressed for centuries. 

Dry dock iceberg off the southeast coast of Greenland

A large wedge-shaped iceberg near the shore, with the ice cap visible behind it

Pinnacle icebergs

Jumble of ice blocking the entrance to a small fjord

Our last stop in Greenland was Qutdleq. On the shore, remnants of a small town or a station were visible, but we have not been able to determine why anything was built in such a remote place.

Abandoned station or town

I prepared several soups and salads on Tuesday in anticipation for our departure from Greenland the next morning. 

Around 9 a.m. on Wednesday, August 27, we pulled up our anchor and started traveling in a northeast direction to Iceland. Since we left yesterday morning, we have encompassed in dense fog. Over the last two days, the density has decreased a few times so that the atmosphere is brighter for a while, but we have not seen the sun. We are sailing when we can, which is not as often as we would like. I am not always able to serve the food I prepared because the of the rocking of the boat. The first day was worse than this one. Cruising over the 6ft.+ waves, at times the bow would rise to the crest of one and then crash down into its trough with a loud bang and some violent shuddering. It is impossible to sleep in the forward cabin even with lee sheets up because of this motion. Last night, Peter and I slept head to toe on the couch with a sleeping bag, which got dug out a couple days ago, covering us. 

I do not like passages, particularly in conditions when the whole world is obscured by fog. Because there must be one person in the pilot house at all times, we don't eat meals together and aren't able to play our usual games at night. I put on a scopolamine patch on Tuesday morning since I spent most of the cruising time that day in the galley. I have not been nauseated. Peter and Enis did not put on patches before our departure, so they have been sick but are now doing better with patches. Shalako is the only one among us who does not suffer from seasickness.

Unless something exciting happens over the next two and a half days, I will not be posting until we reach Iceland. We are all--particularly Enis--pleased that his wife Ula booked a ticket to Reykjavik and will be arriving on Monday to join us for a week. 

Here on the open sea, we manage with no no fixed meal times, irregular sleep patterns and the layers of clothes that we never remove. We seem to have sufficient water and plenty of food, and we hope that the propane gas lasts for a few more days so we can cook food and boil water for hot chocolate or tea several times at day. I'm not necessarily a creature of habit and structure, but I do like to sleep through the night. It also prefer to work in the galley without getting thrown around in the three sided area. 

That's all for now!

Qasigissat

Early morning before departure from Aappilattaq

We left Aappilattaq on Saturday, August 23, after being anchored there for five days, which afforded us the opportunity to observe a lot about how the small towns on the coast of Greenland survive. Other than what they can hunt, fish or gather, the residents rely on bi-weekly shipments direct from Denmark for food, clothing, household goods, diesel, outboard motors, fishing gear and everything else they might need in the summer. We don't know if or how often supplies arrive in the winter. The store is the busiest place in town. The school is closed for summer break, and we never saw the church open, although almost everyone attends services on Sundays.

Dead ringed seal which had been tied there for three days; not sure why

We awoke that morning to a glass-like sea state and a knot or two of wind. Micha (not Michael, as I have written in previous posts; I was introduced by Peter and Enis, who didn't discern the difference) on XTrip was the first boat out, and we soon followed, finally getting our bow anchor and chain, which were covered with sheets of seaweed and mud, free and then our stern anchor. It was great to be moving again, even if the lack of wind meant we had to motor. 

Seaweed on the anchor

Shalako hauling in the stern anchor

We entered Prins Christian Sund and passed a small cruise ship and a 237 foot (72  meter) Danish navy ship. The weather was perfect for photograhy in this extraordinarily beautiful fjord system.

Western end of Prins Christian Sund

We noticed that Micha had stopped before reaching the next anchorage and was backtracking. When we reached us, he alerted us to a solitary humpback whale that was alternately hugging the northern shore and then swimming freely toward an iceberg near the opposite shore. We spent a half an hour moving back and forth, watching for his spouts of water and his dives.

Humpback whale blowing

Humpback whale

Tail flukes of the humpback whale

Another dive

Rock that was inside a glacier before being transported to sea by this iceberg

XTrip with Mantra circling the iceberg

We then moved on, flanked on both sides with steep slopes and boulder debris on the shore. Enis tried out the new fishing devise he bought at the store that morning with no success. Then the two best buddies decided to catch some ice. They found a small piece much heavier than they anticipated, but they got a line tied around a hole and then used a hammer to break off several large chunks. With this success, Shalako decided to try for a bigger one. 

Enis and Shalako with the ice they secured

Hammering off chunks

Shalako ready to lasso an iceberg

The exposed rock above tundra greenery is bold and colorful, scraped and fractured, shaped by enormous glaciers. Dikes of darker hues, up to 6 feet across, are easy to see among the monoliths. 

Dike, waterfall and glacier

Striated rock

Dark vertical dike in the granite

We anchored just before 3 p.m. at Qasigissat, a sheltered bay off the sound. After lunch, we went to shore, finding a place to pull up the dinghy at the mouth of a glacier-fed river. With advise and a lure from Micha, Enis began fishing there. Peter went to find a way up from the steep river valley to the plateau above. I joined him when I saw him at the top, leaving Enis and Shalako behind to angle. Foolishly, we left both backpacks with them, which meant they had both hand-held radios and all the water and snacks. Luckily it was not a problem for Peter and me as we hiked higher and higher, bushwhacking through the tundra, finding the tufts of grass gave the best footing. We found ponds and lovely flowers but never made it as far as the lake. It was the first time in a while that we have heard or seen avians other than pelagic birds. The northern wheatear did not seem to mind our presence. 

Peter admiring the view

Northern wheatears

Cascading water

Clusters of mushrooms, each about 6 inches wide

Small pond

Harebells and tufted grasses

Wildflowers by the stream

As we spent 2 hours hiking, Enis and Shalako enjoyed great success, catching seven arctic char. Luckily, they were on the shore, because the tide rose quickly, and by the time Peter and I returned from our hike, the rock to which we had originally tied up was underwater.

Shalako and Enis on the shrinking peninsula, fishing

Enis and Shalako with the fish they caught

We stopped by XTrip to show Micha the bounty. Enis, when he was harvesting ice, began to dream of whisky over ice, but on board we only have a small amount of Panamanian rum. So, he asked Micha if he had any, which he did, and we invited him over for raw fish and whiskey over ice. (We also invited him to dinner, but he had already eaten.) 

Aerial view of Mantra and XTrip at Qasigissat (photo by Micha)

As soon as we got back on board Mantra, I indulged in a hot shower, a luxury that we use once a week or less often. We have plenty of hot water, but we are conserving water by not taking showers often or doing laundry at all. We have been using the same sheets and towels for several weeks now, and we seem to always be wearing the same clothes in layers. Luckily, there is not a lot of sweating when the outside temperature is in the low to mid-forties, and the inside temperature has been as low as 50°F, although it is usually just above 60°F. 

Micha came by about an hour later, after Enis and Shalako had gutted the fish. Since we had the luxury of ice, I pulled out another Diet Coke from my diminishing supply to enjoy it the way it is supposed to consumed.

Enis and Micha enjoying whiskey over ice

Diet coke over ice

The next morning, we raised anchor in fog and still waters. The banks of fog shifted and swirled and finally lifted, and we were amazed to see even more magnificent scenery surrounding us.

Fog obscuring the mountains

Enis as captain for the day

Fog across the water

Shalako, Enis and Peter in the pilot house 

Every high glacier and the Greenland ice sheet are melting at this time of year, and we delighted in waterfall after waterfall plunging down to the sound. Although the rock is much older than those in the Sierras, we made connections to what we have seen here to the landscape of Yosemite. Several half domes rose up from the U-shaped valleys sculpted by glaciers.

Glacier with a terminal moraine by the water

Half dome shaped rock face

Mantra slowly passing a forking waterfall

Growlers and bergy bits at the mouth of a stream tumbling down the rocks

We stopped to watch and listen to several glaciers that come down to the water. Low level creaking and moaning could be heard all the time. Several times we heard loud cracks, like a gun being fired. Ocassionly, we saw pieces of ice break free and splash into the water. As we observed and had our iPhones recording video (much of it deleted because nothing happened), with Peter at the wheel and the three others huddled around the windless. I took the position of figurehead on the bowsprit.

Approaching Sermêrúnerit Glacier

Wet area showing where a part of the glacier collapsed into the water

Sherri on the bowsprit as the figurehead of Mantra

Ice floating in the water from the glacier in front of a series of similar peaks

In between the many glaciers there were more and more waterfalls. 

Another waterfall

Part of the waterfall with a huge and constant spray of water

More about this place and the next 3 anchorages tomorrow.