Siglufjordur or Siglufjardar 66:08.9N 18:54.6W
Millybrown
Mark Hillmann
Mon 7 Jul 2008 11:56
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Yesterday had enormous contrasts, that word
dramatic yet again. We got up to a
sunny morning with the mountains showing above the clouds both sides.
The mist came in on the north wind, the
mountains disappearing.
We sailed out of the harbour and were soon in
limited visibility, a 10 mile beat out of the fjord with one reef down.
There was a 1/4 mile circle of white around us;
we went close to an island, but just outside that circle so we never
saw it and close round a headland where the breakers came within
sight. The sun was sometimes visible above, so it was low fog
over the sea, cold air over warmer water. You just have to trust the chart plotter as nothing else tells you where
you are; past islands, round headlands and rocks, all unseen.
The island we left was a low one, so you think
of the shore staying like that, then suddenly,
halfway up Siglufjordur we saw sunlit mountains high above us on both
sides. Sunshine, fog then bright sun
again. The cold north wind gives sea fog. The mountains, warmed by
the sun, can sometimes clear it.
Is Icelandic spelling confusing? Every
fishing boat has its home port painted on the stern. There is one here with Siglufjordur on the stern (the same as
our map, charts and pilot book) but then Siglufjardar on the side.
Is one Danish and the other
Icelandic?
This was "the herring capital of the world" and
is now "an important ski centre". We as usual are the only yacht in the harbour. If we are in a
harbour with a quay wall at the town centre people stop and chat.
Here we are, tucked away on a pontoon with the
small local fishing boats, but next to a campsite with hot showers, so we are
both clean. Icelandic harbours are generally free, including water and
electricity if you are close enough. So as Adam paid for last night's
pizzas the high prices do not make it expensive overall.
One English and one Dutch yacht is all we have
seen. We have stopped in harbours and not anchored anywhere. Willy
Ker in the pilot book does describe some anchorages but with steep
mountains any safe anchorage has become a harbour, with breakwaters linking the
islets that would once have given a sheltered anchorage.
Oh yes, we forgot to say that we did
see dolphins in Eyjafjordur, one, then three together, then another one and
then they all disappeared again. A clear sighting for about 15
seconds.
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