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| lowering the guest flag |
We both feel quite devastated and
disappointed by the referendum result. We left Britain in May and now we are
coming back to a radically changed country. As we crossed from Bergen to
Lerwick (22-23.6.16) the decision to remain or to leave the EU was being taken.
This morning we could not believe what we were hearing on Radio 4.
We left Bergen together with Sally early on
Thursday. The weather forecast was good. We expected wind from the south F4-5,
decreasing the following day. It was perfect wind for Easy Rider. On a fine
reach and a fresh breeze, she sails smoothly like a dream.
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| Crossing with Sally was fun! |
As soon as we left the shelter from the
inner lead some 22M southwest of Bergen the sea became quite rough. The wind
was more than predicted (F6) and the waves were choppy and short. Having sailed
in the Baltic and Norway for eight seasons in the comparative shelter of the
archipelagos and the inner leads, I realized very quickly that I had lost my
‘sea legs’ somewhat because I started to feel sea sick as soon as my watch was
over and I went below to try to get some sleep…needless to say that I didn’t
get any sleep either. I haven’t been sea sick for almost twenty years!
Fortunately it only lasted for a while and I was able to thoroughly enjoy the
ride. Sally was in her element: the higher the waves, the happier she got. I
think that it was our best sailing ever: We had 23 hours of excellent steady
wind and our speed over the ground was averaging 7knots until 7am when the wind
dropped.
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| Bard Head, Bressay |
It got progressively weaker until we had to start the engine and
continue all the way to Lerwick. Near the Shetland coast, fog started to
develop. By the time we reached Bard Head on Bressay the visibility had dropped
to less than 100m. We didn’t see any land until we saw a few waves breaking on
the shore of Bressay after 215M at sea!
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| Cro of Ham lighthouse, Bressay |
We knew that the famous Bergen to Lerwick
(and back) race would be starting on the same day. The race was supposed to
start at 10:00. We were hoping to be at the start line and see the race leave.
However the start line was at the western end of the Korsfjorden. By the time
we reached Tekslo lighthouse, the race was under way already. We didn’t see any
sailing boat until we reached the packed harbour of Lerwick. In fact, we didn’t
see much shipping during our day and a half at sea either: two tankers, four
fishing trawlers and one oilrig support vessel. Today, Lerwick harbour is
crammed witch Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, one Dutch and one New Zealand boat.
What a wonderful sight!
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| Full house in thick fog |
We have woken up still shrouded in thick
fog, in weather and political terms. Airplanes are not landing today.