Women’s gossip:

 

So – we’ve had our first arctic gale – well a bit more than a gale actually (technically a gale, F8, is 35 – 40knots, strong gale, F9 is 41 – 47 knots, storm, F10 is 48 - 55 knots, and a violent storm, F11 is 56 – 63 knots). I was very glad we were not at sea surrounded with sea ice and growlers.

 

We had moved to a more sheltered location to anchor in Dundas Harbour at 4am as winds had started to increase and we were on a lee shore. We were feeling very smug at our early manoeuvres to avoid a strengthening NE’ly wind. We were tucked close into the shore under high cliffs avoiding steep valleys where wind could funnel down.

 

Then the wind began to increase to gusts in excess of 40 knots. Willy-waws came at us with a tiring regularity. At times they hit us from opposite directions simultaneously – which was a good result as they miraculously cancelled each other out and instead of getting gusts of 40-50 knots we would get less than 10knots of wind with an odd rippled sea. We named these “willy wobbles”. The rest of the inlet was permanently white with wind blown seas and willy waws picking up spray high into the air. The anchor was holding well but the direction of the wind in one minute was coming from the north then at the next from the south which meant that there was a lot of strain on the anchor fittings.

 

Then the winds began to increase some more and gusts in the high 40’s and low 50’s getting more frequent. Dave/Dai at this time made a good call and decided to weigh anchor (not my first choice at the time given that this would now mean we would be helming the boat through the duration of the night and as long as the gale continued). So we spent the rest of the night motoring around in ever decreasing circles as we attempted to stay in a relatively sheltered area which was getting smaller and smaller as the winds increased to 60 knots outside of our circular route.

 

Actually motoring with Catryn’s strong engine was not bad at all and much less stressful than being at anchor. In this way we could ensure that as the willy waws hit us we were bow or stern to them, hence reducing the windage of the boat. The storm teased us at midnight as winds decreased a little only to increase again with rain and snow on the hills around us. Finally when I was on the 6am to 10am watch more than 24hours later I realised that I could see the other side of the inlet and the winds were calming. At 7.30am we anchored again in winds less than 15 knots.

 

We suffered no damage on board but lost 2 buckets overboard (yes someone untied them earlier and didn’t tie them back up) and a boat hook.

 

The rest of the day was spent resting in a welcome calm, looking out at the new dusting of snow on the mountains surrounding us.

 

Today we moved from Dundas Harbour to attempt to move further west – we were aiming for Graham Harbour (an inlet 80NM west of Dundas). This would have put us in prime position to make a choice of 3 possible routes through the North West Passage once teh ice showed signs of breaking up. However, as seems to be the norm with things at this latitude we only made it 40NM west before we came upon thick impenetrable ice and had to retreat into another inlet called Cummins Inlet. On route we had the fortune to pass a passenger ship which had just come from Beechy Island so got some current ice information – none of it positive. They had just had to break through thick ice most of the way – not possible with a 40ft fibreglass yacht. This was worse ice news than we were expecting.

 

So now we are anchored in gentle winds at the head of the 10NM long Cummins Inlet where a polar bear and musk ox are wandering around the shoreline.

 

Boat jobs today have been splicing an anchor warp onto the main anchor so that we can anchor in depths of 40m and have enough chain/rope mix to hold us.

 

I think we might be here some time and I’m wishing I had packed the game “Bananagrams”.

 

Tomorrow is my cooking day and as biscuits now are on tight rations I will be baking as much biscuits and bread that our limited supplies of gas will allow.

 

Catherine

 

Nature update and more.

On our westward sail today along Lancaster Sound  to the north we sighted sloping bluffs of brown and grey scree up to two thousand feet  into a clear blue  mackerel sky. Sometimes  intervened by large meandering ice fields that zig-zag to the shore below.  Flocks of Common Eiders flew above and the friendly pelagic Northern Fulmars flew with us and  alongside, and always watching over us. As we entered Cummings inlet  meandering through the ice tiles and floating burgers we watched the Snow Geese flying above. Ring seals greeted us at the head of the inlet about eight miles up and the Polar Bear was waiting for us on the shore! The Musk oxen were grazing on a  green part of the tundra very close to shore. During the summer months they mostly eat the twigs of dwarf willow in order to build up a layer of fat. Usually a herd contains around a dozen females and one bull. A few days ago we sighted an iceberg covered with a flock of Black footed Kittywakes.

It is such a treat to be able to see the nesting grounds of the Snow Geese, what a great place that they raise their young on the  green tundra. In late October  in Winona, Minnesota we hear them flying at night on their migration south.

The arctic evening has began here and the light has began to soften (11pm) and things are starting to wind down on Catryn for the day.

  Oh, thank you Jane for that Bara Brith you made for us we shared half of it with tea this afternoon and it was the best!

Dai,our beloved captain is snoozing in his chair Phill was fixing his glasses, Katherine is fussying about what she is making for supper tomorrow and Peter is in his bunk snoring away and will be on anchor watch at midnight .

We have began to ration the teabags on board and that is a concern with five shipmates consuming up to 10-12 cups a day! Nos da!

Hywel.