We left Bergen as planned on 21 June.  Initially we were motoring in light headwinds, but gradually the wind picked up and we had an easy beat down Hjeltesfjord towards the island of Fedje where we left the inshore leads (passages between islands and the mainland) to head into open water.  We knew we faced headwinds for most of this leg, but hadn’t anticipated that we would be beating into a Force 6 for most of the night and the best part of the second day.  It was a bumpy ride in a rising sea and before long we were sailing under staysail and double reefed main.  To landward the mountains grew in size with residual snow still evident on the higher ground, despite it being mid summer.  Although we don’t have midnight sun yet we’re already far enough north for light to never drop below dusk levels at home, so night sailing is easy, although the nights are very cold.

 

The prominent headland of Statt is where the  Norwegian coastline turns from north-south towards the north east.  The pilot cites it as the most exposed and dangerous part of the whole Norwegian coastline, so not to be disregarded particularly in bad weather.  At one stage we’d seriously considered stopping somewhere south of Statt, but the wind eased as we approached and we decided to continue.  In the end we rounded Statt in very poor visibility and then made our way into the leads, heading in the general direction of Alesund, our destination.  In the evening we decided to stop in the small town of Ulsteinvik which is less of a diversion from the main route north and we arrived at 0230 having been at sea for 42 hours, covering around 210nm.  We were soaked from torrential rain and had some minor damage to fix following the heavy weather, but otherwise in great spirits.

 

We’ve just been invited to a mid-summer’s day party by the locals and, although we need to keep heading north, it would be rude to decline local hospitality, so we’ll go partying and then set sail later this evening, bound for Kristiansund.  The photos show us approaching Ulsteinvik at around 0200, and local children in traditional dress and in a traditional boat celebrating mid-summer.