Iceland

 We left Clifden on the 12th.

Stopped in Bofin to sort a halyard problem.

Anchored at Inishturk North for the night. In the evening a fisherman gave us a bucket of crab claws, in the morning another fisherman dropped off a large monkfish!

Headed to Inishkea North, anchored off the sandy beach below the ruins of the abandoned village. No Brion Sweeney, the Hermit of Inishkea North. He had been here a few weeks earlier. I have not seen him for a few years.

                                              Found a curlew skull.


The following afternoon we set sail for Djupivogur, SE Iceland, 660 NM north of Clifden.

We had a lovely east wind the first three days. Teddy sailed herself 350 NM as we slept. After that, fickle winds, and we had to wake up. 

Some whales, all rorquals. We pased through a pod, three groups of two or three. Probably fin whales.

Many interesting birds. Sailing with the ornithologist last year was a good eye opener. Skuas & jaegers, phalaropes, ring necked gulls & others, terns, gannets, puffins, the shearwaters, the lesser auk, and others.

The Northern Lights appeared on a clear starry night. Michael's first! At one point it was an arc, from northeast through north to northwest. Its centre was not the North Star which was off a bit to the right. It was approximately centered on the direction to the magnetic north pole. Which made sense.

From my diary:
Today George, also named King George the Third, departed us at sea, to meet his certain death. He joined us 30 miles back, when the wind was breezing offsfore from Iceland which was 120 NM upwind of us. A little immature songbird, yellow streaks in dark feathers, a fine pointed beak. He hopped among us & ignored crumbled crackers and water. He investigated the cabin & napped below and on deck near us. Then he flew off, south in our wake, out over the watery wastes. I saw him leave, and watched tl the faint dot astern was no longer visible. Then I grieved for him. 

In 6 days we got to Djuoivogur.

It is true that one's own worst enemy is oneself. Of which a fine example is a forgotten passport. We are boat-bound, awaiting the outcome with Customs & police while the passport, expressed from Ireland 5 days earlier, makes its leisurely way north. 

Without knowing where it is - Irish tracking says it is in Iceland, Iceland tracking says it has not come, I have to assume that I won't see my passport, and that I should make plans accordingly. With a probable fine & official clearance, we'll head to the Hebrides where no passport is needed. 

Now I know that certain associates in Clifden will make hay of this & that I'll hear no end of this for years. 

Michael is content, reading that great American classic, Sailing Alone Around the World, by Joshua Slocum. 

I've contaced Skuli the steelworker here about doing some projects. He did fine work for me last year when I did temporary repairs to Teddy.

Here a lovely old photo of Djupivogur Harbour from long ago. This ice came down the East Greenland coast from the polar basin, and strong winds blew these floes clear around Iceland to its southeast point, here.