Just before my first Elbrus summit, I managed to sail to Svalbard from Northern Norway. It was a tough trip through snow and freezing cold. Here are a few notes from the trip.
I had a bit of time to spare, and was looking for a boat. Sailing yacht Mae West (Holland) was to be sailed to Svalbard for picking up guests. The crew/guests on the leg from Norway could not come because of sickness, so the boat needed delivery crew. I'm lucky I made it to Tromsø just in time to briefly meet the owner of the boat, and to set off.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqBdrsUCOoTyx2fdtPI3KFihhnhsvkMgHpFYiXIPjdQIQbQdJ13hRmW6cnEPZYrolGT9-ray1ncr0imGB3YZOQTbFF2-3F4yBiXkuuoTaPpsFh_SWpYWsgdt96uGsvfiCg_DACXjnb4mKB/s640/1518291_10152829109216946_2702886222388952459_n.jpg) |
S/y Mae West, in harbour of Tromsø |
The last hours before the sail-off were spent doing preparations and mending jobs on the boat. The passage could take anything from several days to a couple of weeks depending on weather, and there was risk for furious Arctic storms at those latitudes.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliOCQbs4HxRcQhm2Uo8anwr-Bi0OrBwbS1o7lM3Kw5YPEZIMVE0ZGy3vHL26vzM-NEdVPVeuigINRPljNDp6rzBosCLJZrt_ZUla4PKd5tJzs-u_46mmh3vN7jMUET-NuPddzMXeB2cDS/s640/11221431_10152828841931946_1173052408389795208_o.jpg) |
A workshop for building ships in Tromsø harbour, a very colorful place |
Not all preparations can be made on shore. On the second day, the Code 0 halyard was to be retrieved from the mast. I climbed the 18 meter mast at sea, while swinging back and forth, absolutely done when came down. Just 2 people onboard, we interchanged watches with sleeping and having warm food.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJD-jbwe1GyMFeWjlm5zj0hl3ahIEZNQL0ZW2vRTk9o7Sas_7pbcWNgj6_63qZpYglvcf45vrONLPOMN91BqTlHxZK4riWhGfKN_Tfjih1qu-qFWxFhPXaM7aGtNo3SX1VlMC91PtfwDWr/s640/11698764_10152853381431946_7261559490466246661_o.jpg) |
At the helm, towards Svalbard |
On the first day, still near the shore, puffins would half-fly, half-run away from the boat. It was raining and gray, but the rest of the trip really gave us variable weather. Everything from blazing sun, rain, rainbows, fog, and snow - we had it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugOf7WqqP2JzVgJ_avRE2M22OiBP3nmh4iicQOJ8nAVmZ101vmHE7Tsj6s6xcu-6YRomdsm2O47jlNSH_I4KPaWOvHsJd_M73wkAzMcjvzUBZ7CRTEfjNdSfCOrQaV08Iv4ud6HK3A1ME/s640/11049573_10152853353576946_8102125217898411295_n.jpg) |
Storm is brewing |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9QYoqRE1sPkoU76A2LIsloxl8CYuQKU85goizd9BoDBxUsAJI_kv3jPXXcWk4sq2wFRBaFVg_ZaIpkKpza9UPVsRBKz7qsCDo7BTxnvVgVEdZjGJXe56GZgMtlH_WKJ87o9rpNX8ozyu5/s640/11705392_10152853350371946_426802144172826678_o.jpg) |
Suddenly: sun and rainbows! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNCYciGGKsBj09FUiS7go6Vs8JS031CnWCGP42jDKwVQfm-b23yctgEshru87554sFuo6zH0qRJMS4kB8yyzkhnPKKHqK22-W7IFUrL8Mx34EZx_wwl-9nAPl6Kuijn5Y4xmybhPmisHWU/s640/11722618_10152853354916946_7265890040589536092_o.jpg) |
Thick fog, only a cable's visibility ahead. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil668hkDZpLNdGWdTpxnLm3wjG-ji5SAIXggHIdY2NYQrHPDozMieprHZbO9aszksakSBstDNhA37O9njxnp10RWz-6RMyCg8feYKB5g3GjyQuzBpQR_6HR9bC4E3ulgTO8IjqWcNg-weD/s640/11224144_10152853356066946_933123395277818697_o.jpg) |
Yes, this is snow! Sailing still, about halfway to Svalbard |
The sea colors were ever changing, just as the weather. Everything from storm blue speckled with gray, to saphire, to quicksilver or aluminum. I kept log and read Spitsbergen maps, guide books, and Amundsens diary - the latter being very effective in motivating me to deal with the cold (The cold? For those guys, -17C was a hot summer day!) To keep the cold away, I would do a bit of push-ups. Realised that I had bruises from the mast adventure. Wales were passing by and saying hi, sending fountains up the air. Suddenly the depth sounder jumped to 7,1 meter - must have been one passing right under us. A lot of curious birds were making us company too:
Little Auks,
Great Skuas, and other sea birds. Porpoises came to visit, too.
Despite the interchanging weather, sea, and fauna during the sailing, it was a real treat to see land again after almost a week at sea.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKeWhOIh96gIumT0iutx1UIpSaZNcVmL_Sg5TfH3_3tew8cLscafDiRxSsCd8nz2wbZNNF11DhzAjrqorgQ3LvLUG_EQzf0eek0pVjE4ZSpYUPNXRU-rA4wcedjylD06iMIgchljDg8Mb/s640/11717327_10152856276291946_3046751647767068424_o.jpg) |
Land in sight! Southern Svalbard |
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The isles met us with Arctic sun and freezing temperatures. |
But I could never imagine what would meet us upon arriving to land. Half a ton of muscle with long tusks. See
next post -