Fog bound at Ulsteinvik…

Fog in Ulsteinvik

What can I say? What can be better than waking up at our final destination (62º20N 05º51E) in 2014 completely fog bound (24/07) ? No mountains, no rocks and islets, no trees, no town, nothing to lure you and tempt you to go out sailing. Even yesterday late in the evening the evening sun was so warm that we could have a shower in the cockpit and enjoy a glass of wine on the coach roof.

arriving in Ulsteinvik Marina AS

We managed to do some more essential maintenance while the sun was shining. Taking out the muddy anchor chain, all the 60m of it out of the chain locker and cleaning it and the locker, which after all our anchoring was full of smelly mud, sand and sea weed was not one of our favourite tasks, specially because the water outlet was blocked. It happens almost every year and it takes a lot of perseverance, with the head inside the locker and the hands elbow deep in muddy water to free it. Once the water flows out freely again, the locker and chain are dry you put everything back you can relax in anticipation of next year’s anchoring adventures.
It was the same when we dismantled, cleaned and serviced (…and managed to reassemble again!) the winches. They all run so smoothly now for next year.
We have just go the visit from the yard manager to discuss everything for overwintering. We have decided to have Easy Rider stored inside. Many boats stay in the water in Norway because the winter is not as harsh as in the Baltic. This is thanks to the Gulf Stream which makes the climate much milder all the way to the North. Because we will certainly not be able to come from time to time to check that the dehumidifier and heater work properly as we did in Britain, it will be better for her to be inside.

See you next year

So, what about next year’s leg of our journey? We have now decided to try and extend our permission from the customs to stay in Norway for another year. Maybe we will leave slightly later in 2015 because although the winters are milder, the summers are quite cold until July, specially further north. The consensus when you hear sailors talk about the North is that the area between Rørvik and Bodø, the area known as Helgeland is the most stunning scenery in Norway described in our Norway Pilot as an area of ‘uncompromising grandeur’. And of course the Lofoten!

It is time to end this blog for now. We hope that you have enjoyed it as much as we have enjoyed writing it. We will resume in June 2015. Till then! All the best from:

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