So word has leaked out we made it to Norway.
Well we did. We came into Bergen yesterday, mid day after a memorable crossing of the North Sea.
When we left Lerwick in the army morning. Remember 3 am. We left in the shadow of that de-masted sailing vessel. Still not sure how wise it was to watch YouTube’s of the North Sea before we left. I was nervous. I was at the helm motoring out of the harbour when Larry reached over and said take us right here; he pointed at the chart where it read North Sea.
Exciting, a little nerve racking.
After an hour or so we set the sails, the stayed that way for pretty much the next day and half or two. 17 to 20 knots, sizeable waves. Rhythm. No big slamming. Good rhythm. We were again on 2 hour watches. Each one different. Warm, cold, slight bit of rain. Different lights. Then the navigation through the ghostly alien pinball game. Oil rigs, seismic boats, old wells; stark like Stonehenge, sitting solid still. Haunting. The lights on the new rigs as bright as anything you can imagine. 100 miles out in the ocean in 350 feet of water. A kind Scottish man talked us thorough one section. Another radio call guided us astern of another “guard” ship.
The wind and the waves stayed pretty much the same. The heal of the boat was steep so cooking was put off. Sandwiches and Muesli. Crackers and cookies. Water. Sometimes a hot drink.
More ships came into view. Tankers, an oligarchs yacht, giant cargo ships. Then the sun.
When you weren’t on watch you were likely sleeping. A strange blurry state of being of being awake on watch, then drifting into the next available bunk, then sleep?, dreaming?, thinking?
We arrived under a blue sky, and warm sun. It was a bit surreal. We came into Bergen harbor through a twisting channel. Civilization we haven’t seen in 5 weeks. Electric ferries, pleasure craft jet skis. Larry had us pull up to the bulwark of the old city. Amazing transition, right on the edge of 100’s of people enjoying the rare sun, pints and coffee right near the boat.
We took a minute to acknowledge the moment. Aquavit.
So we are here but not done. We are wandering some today. i am going for a sauna. We are looking for sweaters. This afternoon we take off for Norwegian fjords and start the boat prep for leaving.
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