Last week was our first week sailing around in Hornstrandir Nature reserve. A sailing area that speaks to the imagination. Switching between sailing, whale watching, hiking and just enjoying the silence that surrounds you.
One of our guest crew asked me in the second anchorage, Hrafnasfjordur, whether it was always so quiet on these anchorages. With hardly a sound but the waterfalls coming down and the wind in the rigging, it is something of a different world to wake up to, or to enjoy after dinner when the sun is still not setting. And it is. It is always that quiet, because there are no roads in the Hornstrandir and the inhabitants of Hornstrandir are only there for the summer, or walk on 4 legs.
The week flew by so fast. With nearly only sunny days and every day a different breeze we made our way to all the highlights we wanted. We followed the whales into Isafjordurdjup the first day, found foxes on our first hike, had a different hike each day and visited the Hornbjarg. Such a treat.
As we walked up the Hornbjarg I was looking for all the familiar spots. I was looking for the foxes and where the snow patches were. But the snow was already almost gone and the flowers were starting to bloom. We did spot one fox, but we wondered where the rest was.. maybe the vixens are all in their dens, waiting for their cubs to be born. As we passed by one of the dens that I know has had cubs the last 2 years and saw no activity, only one entrance looked like it might be in use. So it will take a little longer before we can find them sunbathing or feeding
THE HIGHER THE MOUNTAIN THE BETTER THE VIEW
On our way back, sailing, we had a failure in our gaff and had to take the mainsail down. With just mizzen, jib and forestaysail we made our way to Adelvik anchorage. At the start it was a bit rocky and rolly, but we soon picked up a nice pace and as we made our way into the big bay, the waves were gone and everything went calm again.
Last day was Heysterifjordur to Isafjordur and as we were drifting with hardly any wind we saw sea fog coming around the bend into Isafjordurdjup. At first it just came in slow and hang around the corner at Bolungarvik. But as we turned on the engine because we could not steer any more, the fog came in stronger and settled around Isafjordur as well.
The wind picked up again, engine off, just a bit more sailing. We took the jib down as we got into the fog, to reduce our speed as we were going at 7,5 knots. We knew to expect a big cruise vessel to come out in the evening, and as we were surrounded by the fog we simultaneously saw the ship as we heard its fog horn at half a mile to our portside. After that ghostly appearance we made our way into Isafjordur and sailed out of the fog and into the sun! What a treat!
Today we set off for Hornstrandir Nature Reserve again. But this time with an artist on board who is already making some amazing landscape pictures. I would love to see the work in the Fjords!
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