Sailing adventures on a Hallberg Rassy 40 in higher latitudes
Leaving a cozy anchorage for another day of motoring, they unexpectedly caught good wind, reaching 6 knots. Cooking banana pancakes, the day slowed down with fog, limiting coastline views and requiring vigilance for hidden obstacles and boats. When the wind died after 35 miles, they called it a day in the heavy fog. The next morning, Sarah’s energetic run led to discovering intriguing wood carvings, adding a unique twist to their journey.
Skipping anchoring due to wind, they enjoyed ice cream and cannolis at Mieles, exploring Inverness. Sarah’s boat-driving stint into the lock added excitement. In Inverness, they discovered the need for restaurant reservations but found a lively Indian spot. After a drink and live music, they wrapped up with the impressive band Church Street Shuffle before setting off for Shetland.
Equipped for Arctic waters, the crew now has Viking immersion suits for safety. A smart addition is the Ultra Anchor Ring emergency recovery device from Ultra Marine, not just for anchoring but doubles as workout equipment. Annual checks include inspecting the anchor chain, replacing markers, and recalibrating the Autoanchor Remote. Prepared for remote cruising!
2025 Update – Some useful resource links and downloads for Sailing to Svalbard updated to include the new regulations that came into force 1st Jan 2025
Prepared for the Arctic, I received intensive training from the National Rifle Association on weapons handling and shooting under duress for Polar Bear defense. The necessity of shooting within 25 meters underscores the urgency of remaining vigilant in the Arctic’s challenging conditions, with hopes that such training is never needed.
Our shopping strategy may lack organization, often forgetting basic items like eggs. Fearing a banana shortage, we ended up with an excess and decided on a banana cake during our first day sailing without Ilse. While Steve steered, Sarah, the better cook, baked below deck, enjoying the benefits of having an activity, warmth, and delicious cake on a chilly Norwegian day.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2023! Exciting plans ahead as I return to Svalbard, sailing Snow Bear from Scotland via the spectacular Norwegian Coast. If you’re interested in joining as crew or a buddy boat, get in touch. Cheers to a year of adventure!
In December, focused on essential upgrades for Snow Bear. Top four include boosting heating to 5.5KW with Thermoconnect for remote monitoring, enhancing comfort with a new cockpit enclosure from Rossy, ensuring safety with emergency 4700GPH bilge pumps, and optimizing storage through organizational additions, like baskets in the engine room. Comprehensive equipment inventory done.
Snow Bear’s 2022 logbook is now being automated and digitized with the Ships Logbook for Captains app, using NMEA data on the boat’s Wi-Fi network. Despite occasional technical glitches, the app records position, status updates, and various entries efficiently. The log can be backed up, and exports to CSV and PDF formats are available.