Arrival to Mainland Norway!

0550Z 30AUG24, Day 4, Arrival to Mainland Norway!

Current Position: 69 57N / 019 29E, anchored in Hessfjord, near Hansnes, Norway.
13.3 hour progress: 72nm at 5.4kts avg SOG

Passage Summary:
492 nautical miles
3 days 13.3hours (85.3 hours)
5.8 knots average speed over ground
43.7 hours of engine time (51% 😳)
Fish: 1 large cod
Casualties: none!
Rally results: L'Éléphant claimed 1st by 3-4 hours, then Zephyros, followed by Olivia (who may not have known they were part of a rally) 3 hours later

We were able to keep sailing until just after midnight. We sailed until our speed and angle both became less than ideal. Then we turned on the engine and motor sailed into headwinds for the last 20nm into the Norwegian coastline ahead of an approaching low pressure system.

We closed the coastline just before sunrise and the winds quickly fell off amongst the islands and fjords. We had scoped out a couple of promising looking fishing spots and motored over to one dropping our mainsail enroute. We pulled up to the fishing spot around 0515 local, slowed to drifting speed, dropped the line in and hooked a good sized cod. Ten minutes later we were back underway motoring to the anchorage while carving out fillets on the aft deck!

Motoring was in light winds and flat seas so we all took showers while making some water. Besides enjoying being fresh and clean inside the boat, we all found it nice to smell trees on the wind and see lush green landscapes outside.

We dropped the anchor just before 8am next to L'Éléphant and were soon to bed for a solid nap. As expected, someone turned on the wind switch around 11am. The winds kicked up from nothing to gusting over 30kts. This provided for some excitement next door. We held tight but watched L'Éléphant dealing with a dragging anchor and a lot of kelp. Things settled down a bit and we all returned to our naps happy that we had beat this system into the anchorage. The evening saw a delicious celebratory meal of fish tacos that was thoroughly enjoyed before we all turned in again for a good night's sleep.

Thanks for following along! We will head into Tromsø next and enjoy a meal or two out and restock the fresh food. We are all looking forward to a good salad! Produce shoppers may be disappointed in our wake.

Day 3, Svalbard to Norway. Land Ho and 50nm to go!

1630Z 29AUG24, Day 3, Svalbard to Norway. Land Ho and 50nm to go! A mix of sailing and motoring filled out day 3.

Current Position: 71 03N / 019 17E
24 hour progress: 135nm, 5.6kts avg SOG, approximately 50nm to the Norwegian coastline. 15.4h of engine time in the past 24 hours.

As we expected from the start, the north winds faded away. We sailed the kite from a broad reach to a reach until the winds became too light. We pulled in the kite before Ronan's watch began and motored through both boy's watches and Jon's early morning watch.

Around 0630 local, we decided there was enough wind to sail again. We enjoyed a close reach in fairly gentle seas with 10-15kts of wind making speeds from 4-6.5kts over ground. All in all it was a nice bit of sailing without too much bashing even though we were chugging along to windward.

Midday saw the winds lightening again and moving on to the nose, the engine was thus re-engaged.

15min ago we returned to sailing. We are close hauled and pointed where we can enter the Norwegian coast line. We are hoping to get at least a few hours of sailing - if the forecast is correct. Even if it isn't the preferred point of sail, it is still better than the drone of the engine.

L'Éléphant continued to pull away last night and has been maintaining a 15nm lead since this morning's check-in. We chat with each other regularly on the satellite phone via text. Olivia shows occasionally on the AIS, still at 17 or so miles back. They seem to continue to be making similar progress to us. The rally continues, but it appears L'Éléphant will be taking line honors.

The weather continues to be a mix of sun and gray. There were some dark, ominous clouds, but we have mostly stayed clear and gotten only light drizzle here and there while also seeing some blue sky.

All continues to be well aboard. Not too much longer now, landfall excitement simmers. We are hoping to duck inside the Norwegian coast line in the early morning hours and to be anchor down mid day tomorrow before some stronger winds blow past while we rest a bit at anchor before heading the last miles into Tromsø.

Day 2, Svalbard to Norway

1630Z 28AUG24, Day 2, Svalbard to Norway. 24 hours of sailing, however the winds are weakening.

Current Position: 73 15N / 018 08E
24 hour progress: 146nm, 6.1kts avg SOG, approximately 185nm to the Norwegian coastline.

We have had a good ride south on the northerly winds. Zephyros loves a deep broad reach in a stiff breeze. Overnight the winds built and we ended up with 2 reefs in the main and 2 in the genoa. We kept this setup until early this morning when we started shaking out reefs as the wind gradually decreased. By mid day, all the reefs were out and the winds continued easing.

L'Éléphant decided to move from their wing on wing yesterday evening to also sailing a reefed up broad reach overnight. We stayed within 3nm of each other. We even pulled ahead for a bit. However, in the lighter air of this afternoon, they have taken off. They pulled out their asymmetric about 2.5 hours ago and further laid down the challenge. We resisted but as they pulled about 5nm ahead we decided we would put ours out as well. They continue to sail faster than us and are now 8.5nm in the lead and have kept a bit better wind. We are sailing with a full main and the asymmetric spinnaker on a broad reach.

Olivia is starting to show up on the AIS about 16nm behind so they seem to have made similar progress, just that we had a bit of a head start and motored a bit faster leaving Svalbard. Now they are gaining on us a bit as we lose ground to L'Éléphant and generally struggle to move as well in the lighter air. The rally continues.

The sun had begun to briefly set before we left Svalbard, but as we move south we are only now really seeing our first hours of darkness at night since mid-June. Feels indicative of summer slipping away even if the temperatures are rising a bit.

The weather has been mostly gray with some sun and blue sky peaking out on rare occasions. This morning's sunrise was lovely with L'Éléphant 2nm to the west and Bjørnøya (Bear Island) 30nm to the west and visible.

All continues to be well aboard. The seas and mal-de-mer are settling and appetites are returning. Thoughts of landfall are beginning. We continue to see lots of sea birds and are looking forward to fishing for a cod again.

Day 1, Svalbard to Norway

1630Z 27AUG24, Day 1, Svalbard to Norway. 8 weeks after leaving Norway to go to Svalbard, we are finally leaving Svalbard to return to Norway.

Current Position: 75 32N / 015 36E
24 hour progress: 139nm, 5.8kts avg SOG, approximately 330nm to the Norwegian coastline. 20.5 hours of motoring before wind filled in to sail.

We have been watching weather for the last 3 weeks in search of a window to go south. A large low pressure system passed between Norway and Svalbard over the weekend. We are riding the backside of the system which has winds from the north behind the system. Before this we had been looking at a LOT of days with winds from the south and nobody wanted 500nm of headwinds.

This window is the best opportunity to go south in weeks but it is not perfect. We decided to leave yesterday evening knowing that we were looking at a good deal of motoring before the north winds would fill in. Then we will ride the north winds for as long as we can. After that we will likely motor sail and then beat the rest of the way to the Norwegian coast. It is not ideal, but it is time to get south and it is better than tacking into head winds the whole way back to Norway.

Our friends on L'Éléphant, a Boréal 47.2, are with us and have been a mile or two away since leaving. Actually they have been close by for all of the past 3 weeks. We have hung out and fretted about weather windows. We knew we needed to wait for the winds and swell from the system to die down a bit before setting off. So we spent Monday in sunshine getting ready to leave and then taking a little trip together to the nearby glacier for a last shore walk and stretch of the legs before the final passage preparations and setting off. We were all a bit sad to say "see you later" to our little Svalbard camp.

Also heading south is a Finish sailboat, Olivia, that is a bit behind us whom we met cruising Svalbard. We saw them on AIS grabbing this same weather window. They fell off AIS early this morning about 15nm or so behind us.

We motored and motored with the Svalbard coast as company through the night and into the morning. The seas have not been especially comfortable. The remnants of the weekend's blow remained. Once we were offshore we were in a 3m swell. It was confused for a while, testing everyone's sea legs.

Around midday the wind started to fill in, but with the large seas, 10 knots from behind was just not sailable. Additionally we need to make the most of the north winds, so we kept motoring. Finally by around 3pm local we were seeing around 15kts and the seas were more organized. We set up on a deep broad reach with 1 reef in the main. We are sailing well and mostly on rhumbline.

Interestingly L'Éléphant has chosen wing on wing and is heading a bit more easterly. They crossed ahead of us. We seem to be making similar speeds so we will see how this plays out. For the end of day 1, we are still close and find it comforting to see their sails out on the horizon.

Yesterday through this morning was partly sunny with the coastline keeping us company. From this morning it has turned overcast and gray all around. There are lots of seabirds and a couple of dolphin pods checked us out before we were south of Svalbard.

All is well aboard and the boys each did an overnight watch. Everyone is happy to be at sea, and napping as we adjust to the rhythm. We all have great memories of our trip to Svalbard - 2 polar bear watching sessions, interesting encounters with belugas, lots of reindeer, walruses, a humorous fox sighting, beautiful landscapes, interesting cabins and nice walks. It's been a fabulous adventure and we are so grateful to have shared the experiences as a family.

Day 4, Arrival in Svalbard

1615Z 05JUL24, Day 4, arrival in Hornsund, Spitsbergen, Svalbard!

Current Position: 76 56N / 015 52E anchored in Gåshamna Bay, Hornsund
10.25 hour progress: 59nm at 5.8kts avg SOG

Passage Summary
475 nautical miles sailed
3 days 10.25hours (82.25 hours)
5.8 knots average speed over ground
5.7 hours of engine time
Casualties: none!

Day 4 started on the engine as we moved to the other side of the wind line and fought against a little adverse current. At 0700Z the engine was off and we were sailing in 18kts of breeze.

We were soon sailing with 2 reefs in the main but on an actual reach at 080 deg AWA! As the morning went on we were able to fall off a bit more and the winds piped up a touch gusting to 25kts or so. It was the nicest sailing of the passage.

Just before 4pm local we were turning towards Hornsund and the wind dropped. We turned on the engine and brought in the sails as we motored for the next couple of hours to our anchorage. The winds blew out of the fjord at 15+kts and there seemed to be an adverse current as well to slow our progress for the last few miles.

As we motored into our anchorage, a whale dove under the boat just to say hello before disappearing into the fjord. At 6:20 local we were anchor down in Gåshamna Bay, engine secured and congratulating each other for our arrival.

The last day was overcast but we did pass through a pod of whales - probably Sei whales - which added to the excitement of the day. We also saw more pods of dolphins that hung with us and played in our wake for a bit.

Ready to be settled, potatoes were already roasting when we entered the anchorage, and the rest of the fixings were ready to go. As soon as the anchor was down, the chimney went up for the heater and the boat quickly warmed. We enjoyed a steak and potato dinner and were all soon to sleep for the night. Since then we have been busy exploring and moving around. Thanks for following along and we will post more to Facebook and Instagram.

Day 3, Norway to Svalbard

0600Z 04JUL24, Day 3, Norway to Svalbard. The bashing to windward in the gray continued. Down to about 55nm to go! We did see a sliver of blue sky yesterday evening.

Current Position: 76 02N / 014 33E
24 hour progress: 126nm, 5.3kts avg SOG, approximately 55nm to Vestvika, Svalbard.

Day 3 was pretty uneventful. We have all settled into the passage. None of us are really fans of short passages - just as you hit your stride you arrive. Daxton was ready to be there halfway through day 3 and complaining accordingly.

We continued to sail as close to the wind as we could. The winds and seas calmed throughout the morning and we slowly shook out reefs. First the genoa, then 1 reef in the main. By the evening we had full sails and were sailing close hauled.

The weather forecasts showed we would have to cross another shift in winds. We waited for the winds to move to the north and then we tacked to the east just before midnight. We sailed close hauled in light winds sometimes even pointing directly towards Vestvika. The winds piped up to 15kts and we added a reef to the main. The winds bounced around between 10-15kts as we waited for them to shift back to the east.

As day 3 came to a close we had the engine on and were fighting a little current as we motor sailed, waiting for the winds to finish moving to the east.

We have seen pods of dolphins and a good number of birds. Excitement is high as we anticipate landfall.

Elephant is also doing well. They seem to be slightly ahead of us. Perhaps we will end up in an anchorage together later.

Day 2, Norway to Svalbard

0600Z 03JUL24, Day 2, Norway to Svalbard. 24 hours of sunlight has been 24 hours of gray. It doesn't get dark but it certainly hasn't been sunny. Occasionally it rained a bit to add to the dreariness. The bashing to windward continues.

Current Position: 74 10N / 014 20E
24 hour progress: 147nm, 6.1kts avg SOG, approximately 165nm to Vestvika, Svalbard.

In the late morning, the winds veered to come from the ENE and our course turned north as we stayed close hauled. We have been bashing along as close to the wind as we can - more when the waves are less and less when the waves are more. The winds picked up around mid-day and we added 2 reefs to the main. We also added and later removed a reef to the genoa as the winds fluctuated during the day.

Overnight the winds were about 20kts with gusts up to 25kts. The seas grew to about 2 meters. As the wind picked up in the late evening hours, a reef was added back to the genoa.

None of this is especially bad but it isn't very comfortable either. We would much prefer to be reaching then this constantly heeled over and pounding into the seas.

We expect it all to calm down throughout day 3 and will likely run out of wind or have to tack later today. Looking good for an arrival sometime on the 4th.

Once the winds moved around to the east we continued to point as high as we could while SAS3 pointed more directly to Longyearbyen. They fell off of our AIS coverage around mid-day between their higher speeds and the separation from our courses.

We continue to chat with Elephant on our Iridium. They are east of us and doing well. They reported that they had seen 6 orcas the previous day. Just as we were reading that Daxton came up to check on what he could eat and looked behind the boat and saw a large fin right behind us. It was a little disconcerting. We all rushed to look but the fin was soon in the surf, well behind us. Only Daxton and Megan really saw it well. We figure it was probably an orca checking out our Watt&Sea hydrogenerator. We know it makes noise under the water and have seen dolphins check it out before. This fin was bigger than a dolphin's and the only other whales that would likely interact with fins like that would be orcas or maybe pilot whales. Anyway, it was exciting to see some sea life other than birds!