Vestermann Islands
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Umiak
Mike Jaques
Sat 25 Jun 2022 15:24
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.
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