63:26.6N 20:16.2W

 

An astonishing exhibition of boat handling by our skipper Mike today as we arrived in the Westerman Isalnds williwawss invisible punches of wind striking the trusty Umiak as she entered the ever narrowing harbour.  it is meant to be a port of refuge but even within the harbour it seemed as if we needed another port of refuge.  directed to a narrow pontoon by the Flastaffian harbour master Mike had us careering downwind with the engine astern but going ahead at abut 4 knots as the frothing catspaws whipped past.  Neil clearly with gazelle mixed into his scottish genes leapt onto the pontoon with armloads of mooring lines and deftly secured bow spring and stern line as Mike first emergency stopped with a burst astern at 3000 revs then rudder hard over motored against the bow spring and we were safe in this major fishing port, surrounded by an armada of giant trawlers. 

last night , or last twilight , we saw the mountains of the Icalandic ice cap some 40 miles off  as the sun dipped under them at 2300 .The wind suddenly changed direction to the north perhaps a katabatic element and then backed of course to the west and increased , full rig rapidly geared down to three reefs and the staysail, but glorious sunshine but mostly white water flecked with blue as the welcoming wind blew at 30 to 40 knots, but suprisingly flat seasint he lee of the fantastamorphic shapes of this young archipeligo , the youngest of its members Surtsey now 60 years old  a mere foundling.

mike has just told me “ no need to write too much as noone will read it “ so i wont.