Scoresby Sund Expedition 2022
Day 20. 1st July 2022
Position: Moored Ullapool
Wind: Southerly F3 Visibility: Good. Sea condition: Calm
I’m enjoying my time in Ullapool although I would have set sail by now to make use of the lovely southerly wind. Jannicke arrives tomorrow late afternoon and I am still planning to set off early on Sunday morning, but the final decision will be made later on Saturday as the weather pattern keeps changing. Right now, it looks like at least some of the trip will be bashing into fairly strong headwinds before things are due to settle down and the wind eventually swings back to the south.
Sumara is in fine fettle, probably better than she has ever been. I made new standing and running rigging earlier this year, the engine is virtually new, and she has new teak decks. I had a slight surprise that there were a couple of very small holes in the mainsail and some frayed stitching. We also broke a sail slide on the way up. I’ve repaired the sail and a new slide is on its way with Jannicke.
I can’t get my external sat phone aerial to work. I’m not sure why but I will continue to investigate. Using the sat phone outside is not a great idea in bad weather. We will have to cope if necessary.
Provisioning is tricky. I have hidden away some cans of curry etc ready for the Greenland leg. It is frowned upon to provision in the very small settlement in Scoresby Sund as they only get a few deliveries a year. I’ll need to finally stock up in Iceland. In the meantime, we only need enough food for a few days at sea. I’ll buy all the fresh stuff tomorrow.
I rowed ashore yesterday to be greeted by a bevy of school children playing in the water by the slipway. It was the end of term, and they were having fun climbing aboard my little dinghy. I had my first shower since Oban in Dan and Charlotte’s house – thanks for that! I was chatting with Charlotte when I returned to the dinghy and a chap waved from a big black car. Charlotte waved back and said, “I’ve no idea who that was!” It transpires that it was Patrick who was the Harbour Master at South Dock Marina and he was waving at me! What a small world this is.
From now on things will hot up. We are due to sail from Iceland around 23rd July and I have to get there first.
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