Plus Ça Change…AND Changes in Latitudes

Self-portrait in Fog

And so it continues. More motoring, more autopilot. What has changed is that the wispy clouds that created such great light conditions last night have been replaced by denser cousins, making for a plain old gray day. There’s a breath more wind — maybe 8 knots true — but it’s right on the nose. If we really wanted to sail we could bear off a bit to the north and shut off the engine, but that would mean moving at about two knots as well as adding to the distance to our destination. Since this is a commercial venture and we have guests with plans to climb a mountain, that’s not going to happen.

But there IS enough of a breeze that it’s freakin’ cold out here. I’m layered up big-time: long johns and a thermal shirt, Polartec pants (liners for my fly-fishing waders) and a heavy wool shirt, down vest, foul-weather overalls and a wind- and waterproof shell. I’m also sporting my mushing hat — as in: dog mushing. I got it years ago when I volunteered for the Iditarod (back before they started charging you to volunteer; charging volunteers…WTF?!) and never really used it. But it has a waterproof shell with a fleece liner — and ear flaps that can either velcro out of the way on top of the hat or under your neck so the sides of your head are protected. I’m currently in the latter configuration. In order to type, my hands are bare, but I’m sitting by the hot-air exhaust from the engine so every now and then I shove my tootsies in there to heat ’em up a bit. The things I do to report home…

What kind of a fool spends his summer bundled up like this? The kind of fool who lives in the high latitudes, that’s who, where the summer is more light than heat.

And we’re now, with every passing minute, moving higher in latitude than I’ve ever been. We crossed 70 degrees while I slept last night, and depending upon where we anchor at Jan Mayen, we might reach 71 degrees. That parallel bisects the island, and while our time in Greenland (in Scoresby Sund) will also be spent above 70, we’ll be just slightly south of Jan Mayen. Therefore, Jan Mayen, at just about the latitude of Barrow, Alaska, is the northerly apex of my trip.

Would I like to go farther north? Sure. But as chilly as I am right now, I believe I’ll content myself with 71 degrees north latitude. Doing so gets me nearly into Ned Rozell territory and he’s a badass (for a Yankee fan). And isn’t that always the goal? To be a badass? Nah, didn’t think so either, but I’m gettin’ a little punchy here in this cold drizzle. Better put the keyboard down.

Travel, Uncategorized, ,

On Norway

What is there to say about Norge? After many years of wanting to visit this country, I’ve been here for about three weeks and have come away with mixed emotions.

I’d always wanted to visit because Norway seemed to combine a lot of attributes I’ve always loved: mountains, ocean, winter sports, active people, attractive people (sue me) and so on. And the Norwegians I’d known in my life — mostly ski racers from my days back in Utah — had a joie de vivre that I envied and hoped to find upon visiting. In all those regards, Norway has lived up to and even surpassed my expectations.

I had no idea the Lofoten were as amazing as they were, and I definitely plan to return there someday, preferably with skis and surfboard and climbing gear in tow.

I can’t say whether the people were really all that active because I didn’t venture far from the boat and the waterfront. But they sure looked a lot fitter and healthier than they did in England. A lot rode bicycles and there were bikes parked everywhere: outside business buildings, supermarkets, bars. Far too many of them smoked, which of course is prevalent throughout Europe. And forgive me for being male but yes, the stereotypes are well-earned: Norwegian women are very lovely.

And all the people were very friendly. Everyone spoke great English and didn’t mind that I couldn’t even properly pronounce Norwegian words that were spelled out in front of me. They were willing to engage on any topic and other than those two schmucks back in Lerwick, no one wanted to get in the American’s face. The drivers were all very courteous, yielding to pedestrians even before they’d reached the start of a crosswalk.

One thing I hadn’t expected was just how expensive Norway is. And I’m not talking just a bit spendier than I’m used to, I’m talking astronomically more expensive. Pizza and a couple of beers: the equivalent of 60 bucks. Entry fee at the aviation museum: 25 dollars. One of those single-serving cups of Haagen-Dazs: 4 bucks. A 10-minute shower: 6 dollars. One load at a laundromat: 10 bucks. A pair of hiking boots: 450 bucks.

So any plan of moving here soon, or even visiting again before I’ve made my fortune, seems to be too rich a proposition for my blood.

But the bottom line is that I’m glad I came to Norway, and glad I came to an out-of-the-way part of Norway for my first visit. I’d like to check out Oslo and the south, which I hear is very different from this northern area, and I’d really like to get here sometime during winter-sports season. I’ll just have to save up a lot first.

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Surrealistic Skies

The light outside right now is simply surreal. The sea is so calm it looks like the cellophane strips dance companies wave to simulate the sea, and the evening light filtering through the clouds and reflecting off this too-still surface makes it appear as though the water actually slopes up as you look into the distance. Again, I’ve tried a few photos and videos; we’ll see how they do. It’s times like these I wish I were a painter. No artificial lens on the planet can do justice to the ethereal light we’re enjoying this evening.

We’re one-sixth of the way into one of those watches: engine on, autopilot on, plodding our way toward our destination. Where yesterday was an ideal sailing day, today is just plain boring. But…gotta take the good with the bad, I know.

And we are, indeed, moving inexorably toward Jan Mayen. The forecast is for more of the same so we’ll likely be in this motor-on state all the way there. And once there, we’ll likely be anchored off the southeast side of the island; it’s not the preferred anchorage but with a wind from the west, however slight, we need to sure we’re not on a lee shore. For those wondering: that means that a shore that’s to leeward — downwind — from you, and if you should drag your anchor, say, you’d wind up aground. Not good. Better to be blown offshore than onshore, to put it simply.

Just saw the last flick of a whale’s tail off the port bow about 40 yards. I should be saying meters, but you get the idea. I ran to get my camera but of course, by the time I got back on deck, there was nothing more to be seen. So now I have my camera by my side and I’ll sit here for another two hours, hoping for another glimpse.

Some of the funky light surrounding us right now:

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