May 6, 2022

Our second crossing of the North Sea was more benign than the first.
We were glad to make it just south of Stavanger ahead of a big blow.



A taste of what was to come.


We left Makkum, transited the Kornwerderzand sea lock, and made a pit stop at Terschelling before heading off across the North Sea the following day. We weighed anchor at 13:00 on May 4 and arrived at 22:10 on May 6. We flew The Beast for most of the passage, gliding along beautifully. Other than a several-hour visit by a Minke whale, the passage was uneventful.  It was nice to hear the varied accents of the crew on the ships around us. We were especially giddy when a friendly Scotsman who sounded exactly like "beam me up Scottie" hailed us to ensure we knew he was there. He was on the oil rig "Prospector 5" that had  arrived the previous day and was not yet on the chart. He was super nice so we took The Beast down to put him at ease, giving him a wider berth than planned. As we neared the Norwegian coast, a pod of extremely large dolphins (AKA the Welcoming Committee) greeted us. We didn't see another dolphin the entire way up the coast of Norway.

Leaving the anchorage at Rausvagen, we had a beautiful downwind sail in 18-25 knots from the south. With the yankee poled out to windward, we surfed down a wave at 10 knots!



May 11, 2022




The famous Lysefjord waterfall.


We had sporty but wonderful sails in the flat protected waters near Stavanger. Of course, as we entered the Lysefjord, we experienced exactly what we had been warned about--no wind in the fjords. But it was a must-see so we motored to Vika, enjoying the spectacular views. Then, we motored to Florli to climb the world's longest wooden staircase. (More like a ladder in parts...But the views were worth it.)


  





AZ at rest while we climbed the Florli stairs. The next day, we were the ones needing rest.




Just a couple days later, we decided to punish ourselves again. This time with an 8-hour hike from the Revsa Kai to the Preikestolen.
We took the dinghy across the fjord, elated that we could finally get on a plane with the used 8 HP Yammy we bought in the NL. Again, the scenery did not disappoint. The hike was challenging and steep, but we had a blast hopping across waterfalls.










By the way, the anchorage at Vika was also lovely. There was even a friendly swan that ate from our hands.








May 16, 2022



After stopping at the Hebridianesque anchorage at Rennesoy, we headed for the Viking farm and museum at Bukkoya, in honor of Norway Day.
We marveled at the boathouse's construction and admired the traditional dress of a celebrant en route to the farm.






Next, we learned firsthand how quirky the winds can be in the Norwegian sounds. As we were passing Hagesund, the wind turned 180 and The Beast collapsed (safely).
We stopped in Bomlo before embarking on the most fabulous 54 miles of downwind rock hopping in flat waters. With just the yankee, we flew to Bergen in record time.
We docked in front of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bryggen.






AZ at Bryggen.



May 20, 2022


We flew the spinnaker to the magnificent anchorage at Medholmen and Storholmen. We dined al fresco for the first time since arriving in Norway.



Alligator or anchorage?



Next, we motored into the Sognefjord. Although all that motoring can be a bit tedious, the scenery was jaw dropping.
We couldn't stop snapping photos.







We picked up guests from the NL and anchored in Esefjorden in front of snow-capped mountains.




We also visited a branch of the Jostedalsbreen, the largest glacier in mainland Europe.
At the nearby museum, we watched an IMAX film about the glacier, which reinforced our desire for adventure and got us pumped about crossing into the Arctic.







Then, we ventured into the UNESCO World Heritage Site Naeroyfjord and witnessed a small avalanche.



The spectacular Naeroyfjord. It was still early in the season, which made for great avalanche watching from the safety of the deck.





Spectacular fjord scenery.




May 30, 2022
 
After rounding the notorious Statt peninsula in settled weather, and then sitting out a blow at Hatloya for three days, it was finally time to visit the puffin colony on the beautiful island of Runde.


 



 




Puffins don't come home until late. So, after hiking around to the other bird cliffs, we paid a visit to the star attraction.

The next day, we had a great sail to Alesund.




 


We kept heading north in the challenging, but fabulous conditions. Although it was a bit rainy at times, the wind was usually from behind.

 


We often flew at over 8 knots.

It was great fun navigating and anchoring in the skerries that dominate this part of the Norwegian coast. We basked in the sublime isolation and even saw a few sea eagles.




June 10, 2022


Behold, the famous troll mountain.

   


Just after snapping a photo of the hole from the sea, a National Geo cruise ship decided we were super interesting and got really close -- close enough that we could see the folks on the bridge waving at us!





Our anchorage at the UNESCO World Heritage Vega archipelago.

 
Next, it was time to head to the Vega Archipelago (Hysvaeret). Famous for it's down, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The weather calmed just as we arrived, as if just for us. We anchored next to Buroya and set off for a dinghy excursion.







Everything reflected on the water. It was spectacular and there wasn't a soul around.





We did, however, become a little concerned when we came upon some sheep. Usually, sheep ignore us or eye us with suspicion and run away as we approach.
These sheep seemed desperate. They ran along the shore alongside our dinghy, and called for us wildly, as if to say, "help--they abandoned us, get us out of here!"

The next day we sailed to beautiful and imposing Lovund. The scenery was dramatic. The Seven Sisters looked down on us along the way.




There was only space in the industrial harbor and the weather wasn't right for a hike, so we decided to delay Lovund for the way south and weighed anchor the next morning.
It was time to cross the Arctic Circle!




June 13, 2022


The day had come. A year of planning and weeks of anticipation brought us to this day.
During our sail to Gjerdoya, we crossed into the Arctic.




Our initiation into the arctic club was fitting. As we crossed, the wind started to build and strong gusts hit us from Hestmona.





Of course, the next stop would be the spectacular Svartisen glacier. We docked in the fittingly-named Holandfjord for the hike to the glacier.
Theme of the cruise--just when we thought the scenery couldn't get any more breathtaking, it did.










A cause for celebration - arctic style!




Then we celebrated again.








Continuing north, we stopped at Gasvaer (south of Storoya) and Fleina (Selvag). The views were epic.
De Captain tried to catch a cod, but we didn't have the right type of fishing gear.








June 18, 2022


We decided to cross to the Lofoten from Fleina. It was a choppy ride but we flew and made the 42 miles in 6.5 hours. We anchored in Sorlandsvag, Vaeroy.
We had wanted to anchor further south in Mastad, but the swell made it untenable.








Cod is the main industry on Vaeroy. They hang it to dry and then sell it to Spain, Portugal, and Italy. Luckily, these racks were downwind from us!


The next day we crossed the notorious Moskenstraum. We rode the current but it wasn't too strong. As usual in Norway, the conditions were like a box of chocolates.
First, we encountered a thick fog. Then, the wind funneled between the islands. You just never know what you're going to get. The only certainty is a breathtaking coastline.








Approaching Reine, we almost had to pinch ourselves to believe we had truly made it there.

As usual, all the yachts were at pontoons and we were the only boat anchored. It did take us a while to get the anchor to set.
But it was worth it. The anchorage was spectacular.











The views of the anchorage from the top of the Reinebringen trail were even more spectacular.




That day, it was just AZ at anchor with the majestic mountains in the background.





The Reinebringen is one of Norway's sherpa trails. Our thanks to the Sherpas for laying the stones that make the climb easier!






After sitting out a small blow in Ballstad, we anchored outside of Henningsvaer and took the dinghy in for a walk around the cute town. On our way back to AZ, the Norwegian Coast Guard paid us a visit and put us/AZ on their schedule for a courtesy check. When they returned 30 minutes later, the nice gentlemen found all was in order. They couldn't resist snapping a photo of AZ as we waved goodbye.




The anchorage outside Henningsvaer.




June 24, 2022


After yet another small blow, we headed for the Trollfjord.
The views from the narrow and shallow pass were magnificent. The water as clear as in the tropics.









At the Trollfjord, we hiked up the hills to take in the views. Sea eagles circled above the fjord.






When we returned from our hike, a huge passenger ship came into the fjord.
Making the turn, the passengers could almost reach out and touch the walls and waterfall.







The next day, we awoke to a clear sky and glorious sun. We saw tons of puffins along the way to Holmsnesoy and decided there must be a colony nearby.
The wind funneled through the sound and changed direction. You just never know what you're gonna get.






Of course, the views were unforgettable.







Although we didn't find any cloudberries at Holmsnesoy, it was beautiful and peaceful.






It was puffins galore on the way to Alsvagen and there was not a cloud in the sky. We hadn't used the heater (Mr. Wallas) in two days.
The anchorage had sandy beaches and tropical blue water. We had to remind ourselves that we were in the Arctic.



June 27, 2022

From Alsvagen, we sailed to Andenes via the Bleik Canyon. It was a beautiful day and we hung out over the canyon for a few hours.
Sure enough, we saw three sperm whales. Each time, the magnificent creatures took our breath away as they breached before diving.




The Andoya coastline. Although not as dramatic as the Lofoten, Vesteralen is also beautiful.


The harbor in Andenes was not ideal and there was no water, so we continued on. We are so glad we did.
We found the most amazing and remote anchorage in the skerries between Andenes and Senja.
We tied a line to shore and went on a dinghy excursion and photo shoot.












During the dinghy excursion, we found a tiny entrance to a hidden harbor.
We thought we were alone, so we gasped as we turned the corner to see a fishing boat tied up in the mini harbor.
The old man aboard was just as startled to see us. He spoke no English but we made out that he was welcoming us to tour his secret haven.






Other bonuses of the anchorage were a seal (the one and only we saw in Norway) and enough energy to stay awake for the midnight sun!





With the end of June approaching, it was sadly time to turn south. AZ is getting a new mast in La Rochelle in late September.
The weather in the Arctic had been fabulous, but every few days a new system rolled in, which we knew would slow our progress.
 Adding to the challenge is the fact that the wind had been primarily from the south.


From our secret anchorage in the skerries, we headed for Forhamn. It was another beautiful day and we had a wonderful sail in interesting winds and flat seas.
The views of the coast of Senja were awe-inspiring.




After that, we stopped in Lodingen and got some tips from a friendly local at the dock.


June 30, 2022

From Lodingen, we crossed to the other side of the Vestfjorden. Having spoken to locals, we had a hunch we would find something magical and spectacular.

As we approached our destination, we knew our instincts were spot on.



At the entrance to the anchorage, the wind accelerated to 30 knots, as if to allow only the most determined to enter and behold its treasures.
Inside, we found ourselves in a peaceful oasis with the most spectacular peaks and clearest water we've ever seen.
We passed a picture perfect beach. Deeper in, a sailboat was tied to stakes in the rocks. They waves us over and pointed to their fenders, inviting us to come alongside.
Feeling adventurous, we went for it.

As we tied up to them, they explained that they were leaving in a few hours. The spot would be all ours for the night!
What a spot it was.





We enjoyed chatting with the crew of Anita, a Norwegian couple, and are so grateful for their friendliness and hospitality. One of the great things about this cruise was that all the Norwegians sailors we met were super helpful, interested in our trip, and overall just lovely people with a great sense of humor.

While we were chatting with them, a white reindeer emerged out of the trees on the mountain.
The sight of the majestic creature literally took our breath away.



 Can you spot the reindeer? He looked so much closer in real life.


Later, another sailboat came in and anchored near the beach. The sky was clear, the sun was in full force, and the temperature the warmest it had been since we arrived in Norway. We decided to go on a dinghy excursion. We beached the dinghy to find that whoever had been there just before us was having as magical a day as we.



They echoed our sentiments exactly. We proceeded to galavant around the beach like kids.
When cruising, the highs are really high and the lows are really low. This was beyond high. It was euphoric.



On our way back, we stopped by to say hi to the crew of Paquita, which had anchored off the beach. They invited us onboard for a drink and we ended up having a fabulous time with them. We probably stayed too long, but they didn't mind and we had a blast. They invited us to stay in their harbor on the way south. They would be out sailing for two more weeks and we ended up moving pretty quickly, so we unfortunately missed them. Those moments with Norwegian sailors really made the cruise for us. They are amazing people with an amazing country. Thank you Paquita crew!

As the sun got low in the sky, the photogenic cove kept on showing off.



The EasyRolls made the job of tying to the rocks, well, easy!


Once again, everything reflected onto the water.




The next day was another glorious scorcher. We flew the spinnaker and enjoyed the ride past the snow-dusted peaks.
Then we did a bit more rock hopping to anchor between Masoya and Steinsdraget. We again deployed the EasyRoll lines and soaked in the sun.






The next morning, we were shocked to find tropic-like beaches on our way out of the anchorage.




The sail to Kjerringjoy was once again like a box of chocolates. It was hot, then cold, then hot. We flew the yankee, then the staysail, then the yankee. It was sunny, then cloudy, then sunny.
We saw as little of 5 knots of wind and as much as 28 knots of wind. Kjerringjoy was adorable, the harbor master was welcoming, and the views were unforgettable.





 


Once again, the sail to Bliksvaer was full of surprises. The only certainty was that the weather was about to change.



We anchored outside the cute town and snapped photos on our way out the next day, staying clear of the shallows. On our way out, we found more sandy beaches and endless rocky coves.






July 4, 2022

After a beautiful morning of Beast sailing, we got stuck in some light thunderstorms. A taste of what was to come. Luckily the wind and seas weren't too bad and we made it out to Myken in time for a glimpse of it in fair weather. The next three days were a bit stormy, but that didn't stop us from looking around during dry spells. Another exciting development--the royal family docked next to AZ in their tender when visiting Myken. The locals told us their yacht was anchored on the other side of the island.




The narrow cut to the harbor. It was windy but not too rainy when we entered.







We also toured the whiskey distillery-the first one above the Arctic. The whiskey was delicious, but unfortunately under Norwegian law the distillery cannot sell bottles. We'll have to find it elsewhere. Still, we had fun making friends with a former local on the tour with us.


   



During a break in the rain, we set off for more of the out-islands. The break didn't last. It ended up raining and blowing 17-25 the whole way to Traena. The docking situation was a bit hairy, as the harbor was bursting from the seams because it was festival weekend. We sucked it up, donned our raincoats, and set out to witness Traena festival madness! The islands, by the way, are spectacular. Too bad the weather was rubbish.



We couldn't resist snapping a few photos of the Arctic Circle monument.




Husoy was littered with the tents of the festival-goers. We were glad we had the coziness of AZ and our heater, Mr. Wallas, to return to.


The way back toward the coast to Lovund was extremely rolly, as the wind had died but the big seas remained. We were glad to pull into the harbor. And we were glad to see the sun. Having left without hiking the island on the way north, we were psyched at our second chance. And we were not disappointed. The northwest side of Lovund is gorgeous and we got our fill of puffin sightings. Plus, there were cloudberries EVERYWHERE. It was a shame they weren't yet ripe for the picking.









On the hike, cute artwork donned the rocks and made the view of Traena even more enchanting.






July 10, 2022


Leaving Lovund we "raced" some boats we recognized from Traena. The wind went from 130 degrees to on the nose, a sign of what was to come. From the anchorage at Hjartoya we had a breathtaking view of the seven sisters of Alsten.




The next day we hopped five miles to Sovikvagen, and from there it was an upwind haul to Heloya, a Hebridean pool behind Torget. Then, we finally got to stop at Leka. We made some friends at the harbor and checked out the interesting landscape.




After Leka, sun sightings became rare and upwind slogs became common. We stopped at Vollabukta, Tranoya, Hamnskjela, Rostoya, and Skardskoy. The wind funneled against us in Trondheimsleia, so we opted for short hops. After a fast spinnaker sail to Rindaroy, we spent some time in cute Fosnavag to prep for the passage to Shetland.



July 21, 2022

We waited all day for the wind to turn, and finally decided to go for it at 18:00. The wind was supposed to turn to the north, but it was still WNW. It was a rough and wild beginning, but we finally got to sail downwind during the last third of the passage. We almost had another toilet incident but all was well after De Captain changed the toilet pump impeller during the first night. We reached Shetland the morning of July 23. Not wanting to make landfall in the dark, we kept going south until daybreak and anchored in Uyea, Unst. We had made it to Shetland without having to round Statt again!

After checking in by phone and resting a few hours, we checked the weather and decided to head to Lerwick for some shore side activities during the impending blow. The 40 knots never materialized, but we had a great time visiting the local sights and making friends on the dock raft. Boats were rafted 3 and 4 out and we are glad to report that we successfully completed a switcheroo maneuver in almost 30 knots to avoid squishing a smaller yacht between us and the dock. The Scottish crew on Polaris had been sailing in the area since we were in diapers so we were relieved to execute maneuver without drama.



    

  




We took the bus to Scalloway and particularly enjoyed the museum there, especially the Shetland Bus exhibit. Years ago we saw the film, The 12th Man, and to date it is one of our favorites.







July 27, 2022

After four days in Lerwick, we set off for a circumnavigation of the Shetlands. The wind was supposed to come from the south for the foreseeable future, so we figured we would go where it took us. The first stop was at Moussa to see the Moussa Broch.







Behold, the ancient Moussa Broch.



After a few hours there, we decided to round Sumbergh Head and continue to St. Ninian's Bay. We took the inner route to avoid the notorious rage. We barely made it before the tide turned against us, but we still hit 8 knots!




The anchorage was lovely, with a sandy spit that reminded us of Formentera. We witnessed a beautiful sunset and were entertained by youngsters herding cattle off the beach with ATVs and a cute dog.



But then, disaster struck. Our toilet's pump started leaking. We put Ziplocs around it and emailed Sanimarin, as it was still under warranty.

From St. Ninian's we sailed to Skelda Voe. We flew the spinnaker in the light SE breeze. 



From Skelda Voe we sailed to Aith Voe. It was a sporty downwind ride with first the yankee and then the staysail. We hit 9.9 knots in the Papa Stour sound! A couple of attack waves hit us, and we saw an aircraft on AIS for the first time.




At some point during the trip, our mushroom antenna decided to start displaying the wrong date. We looked it up, and apparently this happens once it gets too old.
"Install new mushroom antenna" was added to the project list.
 

From Aith Voe we sailed to Ronas Voe. It was supposed to be a downwind sail, but somehow it was a sporty close reach until the last few miles. Despite the locals telling us they were around, we still hadn't seen any Orcas. But the spectacular cliffs and stacks with holes in them made up for it.







The entrance to the anchorage was spectacular, with rows of secluded mini-beaches.





July 31, 2022

It was finally time to head for Burra Furth, the jewel of Shetland. We were worried the wind and swell gods wouldn't allow for it, but we got lucky. Although the swell was still quite large, it was from the WSW, and the wind was perfect from the SW at 10-15 knots. However, there was no avoiding the rage between Muckle Flugga and the Out Stack. It was nothing AZ couldn't handle, though. The anchorage was sublime and it was nice to see the sun. We walked to the west coast cliffs and saw more puffins. It got a bit rolly in the evening, but overall it was a great day.







More puffin friends, with Muckle Flugga in the background.





From Burra Furth we sailed to Vidlin Voe, officially completing our circumnavigation of Shetland. The seas were much calmer on the east coast, so naturally there were many more boats. We saw a weather window to sail to Orkney in two days time, so we were forced to motor part of the way to get south fast. Luckily the anchorage was a protected oasis. We we were going to need the rest. The next day, we motored into the wind to Aith Voe, Bressay, to position ourselves for the hop to Fair Isle. It was a horrible slug and we encountered a terrible rage. The slamming was gut wrenching, and to top it off it started raining. We were ready to get out of there.


August 3, 2022

We prepared ourselves for the worst and ended up with a great ride at 8+ knots. The wind was from the NW, then WNW at 15-25 knots. The seas were a bit bouncy, but nothing like what we expected. We got to Fair Isle by 18:15 and even had time for a walk. Much to our surprise, there was a slew of puffins right at the entrance to the harbor. The island was gorgeous, with spectacular formations at every turn.













The next morning, we sailed to Kirkwall, Orkney. A new toilet awaited us. The Sanimarin would take weeks so we decided to replace it with a throne from Planus. We would keep the Sanimarin as a spare. Yes, an entire spare toilet. We are so done with the head incidents.

It was another great ride in flat seas and currents in our favor. Heading into Kirkwall harbor, we entered another mini-rage, again of no consequence. We spent a week in Kirkwall, exploring the town and surroundings, and waiting for our new toilet. We were glad to run in to the crew of Polaris and guests. We welcomed them aboard for digestifs and showed off our gleaming new Planus, which they named the "throne."




We were mesmerized watching the birds hover over the tower. They were oscillating in a way that at first made us think they were fake.


  







August 12, 2022


When the toilet was finally installed and the wind had finally turned, we set off for Handa Island, Scotland at 4:30 am. The wind was light at 8-12 knots from the NE, so we flew the Beast. It died completely as we approached Cape Wrath. Although we had to motor, we had a current in our favor and were glad to see the Sir David Attenborough. It was entertaining to listen to them talk to a rescue helicopter that wanted to conduct training by landing on their deck. A dolphin welcoming committee greeted us on our return to the Little Minch, which made for a good end to an exhausting day.








The next day, we saw a seal on our way to the Summer Isles. We saw the sun again and the Beast got to dry after yesterday's drizzle. Then the fog set in and we couldn't see a thing, except during the 10 minutes that we arrived and anchored in Tanera Beg. The surroundings were beautiful, while we could see them.





From Tanera Beg we motored to Badachro, in Loch Gairloch. Again, there was no wind and we went in and out of fog banks between periods of glorious sun. We had fun at the pub in Badachro and met a lovely couple from near AZ's home town in Brittany. We stayed way later than anticipated and returned to find poor Rubber Duck on the concrete quay. Luckily a good samaritan had raised Yammy's prop. Time to get used to large tidal ranges again.



The wind built steadily on the way to Loch Puig. We started off flying the Beast and then switched to the yankee once the wind reached 21 knots and we hit 9 knots. Anchoring was another story. There wasn't a lot of room and the current was very swift. After spending way too much time trying to get a line ashore, we decided to settle with just the anchor, and it was totally fine. We dined al fresco until it started to rain. At least the castle was lit up beautifully at night.



It was a crazy downwind ride to Loch Aline with just the yankee. The katabatic winds gusted to 30 knots now and then, and we watched in bewilderment as a little 36 footer behind us proceeded on with full sail, even with the benefit of seeing how the wind affected us.

The next day, we made a short hop to Oban to pick up our long-awaited Sanimarin spare toilet pump. With bad weather ahead and nowhere to run, from Oban we motored to Drumnatuadh Bay, Jura. It was rainy, we had wind against tide, and we had to push through some rages. To top it off, we forgot the galley hatch was in rain position and got salt water in the boat. Not fun. Again, we were bewildered to see boats sailing through Corrywreckan in the conditions.

The next day we crossed to Druimyeon Bay, Gigha, to sit out the blow. It was a great place to sit out bad weather so we stayed for two nights, along with another French alu boat. When the weather finally settled, we set out around the Mull. The wind did not do what it was supposed to, so we ended up going to Campbeltown.
We enjoyed dinner ashore and a trip to the grocery store.

The next day, we sailed to Brown's Bay (Larne), N. Ireland. It was a good upwind sail in 10-15 knots of wind, but the anchorage was a rolly roadstead. We got out of there early the next morning for the short 13-mile hop to Ballyholme Bay, near Bangor. In the evening, the wind turned and a fetch came in, but at least it was on the bow.



August 24, 2022

We left Ballyholme Bay early in the morning. Again, it was an upwind sail in 10-20 knots. The promised sun never materialized and we couldn't make Dublin because we had to tack upwind sometime after passing the Isle of Man. But at least we were finally in Ireland. We anchored in Skerries Bay, exhausted again.



The next morning we went into the marina in Dun Laoghaire and got ready to fly home the next day.
We had beautifully fair wind and seas, but of course we had to rush to make travel preparations.



September 2, 2022

We returned to Ireland a week later with plans for some in-depth touring. The weather forecast was glum, so we opted to rent a car and leave AZ safely in port.
Castles, cliffs, and cute towns were top of the list.

  

We found a faster and more economical way to the Cliffs of Moher, thanks to an enterprising elderly local. 




As were Irish pubs, of course. Especially the oldest.



Next, we paid a visit to memorials for the Lusitania and Titanic.





Of course, we paid a visit to Blarney Castle and the Blarney Stone. We went up the tower but decided not to kiss the stone.



Cuteness was all around.



Cashel Rock was a highlight. (No, not Fraggle Rock...)





But the most impressive of them all were in Dublin: St. Patrick's and the Trinity College Library.








September 8, 2022

It was finally time to head back to sea. The Irish Sea is one of our favorite places to sail, but also one of the most frustrating places to sail, depending on what the current is doing.
With the current with us, we found ourselves going 11 knots in 15 knots of wind. With the current against us, well...that was a different story.
We took a video and will post it here soon. All in all, it was a good passage, especially since it was head incident-free!

It was nice to be back in St. Helen's Pool, the Isles of Scilly. This time we ramped it up a notch and navigated the shallows between the islands to St. Mary's, all while taking a call from the manufacturer of our new mast (hence the lack of photos). Due to delays, we would not be going into the Bay of Biscay. Instead, the mast would come to us in Portugal. It was both disappointing and a big relief to not have to rush. We could take our time and enjoy Atlantic Iberia, not to mention prep for the Atlantic crossing at a more leisurely pace.
While there, we also learned that one of the world's few living historical figures, Queen Elizabeth II, died.

In St. Mary's, we lounged in the coziest pub ever. It was nice to catch our breath before crossing the Bay of Biscay.




As usual in the Isles of Scilly, weather hastened our departure. We started our Bay of Biscay crossing in 20-30 knots of NE wind, with 2.5-3 meter waves behind us. We set the preventer, poled the yankee to windward, and became too confident in what was a surprisingly stable and fast ride. Of course, the waves were too big for our ambitious sail set-up, and inevitably a huge wave slammed into AZ's aft beam and rolled us just enough for the wind to catch the sail the wrong way. The only thing that kept us from accidentally jibing was the preventer and a stanchion. Unfortunately, the preventer line bent the stanchion. But luckily for our rigging, the stanchion became the sacrificial lamb.
We reefed, licked our wounds, and continued on more cautiously. Oh, the Bay of Biscay...

Over the next three days, we dodged ships, flew (even at night!) and doused The Beast, listened to a ship ask the HMS Falcon to approach and take photos, and prepared to make landfall on the notorious Galician coast in 25 knots of wind in the dark. We usually wait for dawn, but Cedeira has a well-marked, easy entrance and we would have the wind at the stern. Also, we gambled that the wind would die once inside the outer harbor. Sure enough, it was an oasis of calm at the harbor entrance. We arrived in Cedeira five days before the official beginning of autumn, and celebrated a successful passage and a successful season in the high latitudes with a tapas crawl the next evening. We basked in the warmth and switched gears for a return to the low latitudes.



Continue to winter 2022-23