Bound for Utsira

Published 13th Jul 2007

Approximately 9 o'clock this morning we took off from Sprangereid. After 10 days of waiting for the right conditions.

It's the plan to sail towards north-west along the Norwegian coast. Towards Utsira. And then hope that the meteorological predictions will come true. That we will get an easterly wind ind the next-coming depression.

And maybe the dream about arriving at Utsira will become true. In any case it's the plan to sail non-stop the next 24 - 48 hours. 

It's great to be out on open sea again. But it's cold because we are tacking against the wind and the wind blows cold all through the ship. Not least midships, where the sail breaks the wind so heavily, that the top of the waves along the ship are blown away.

We've had a sunny sky most of the day, but now the clouds are gathering. The Sea Stallion is tackin well in spite of headwind and waves of one and a half metres. We've been told that we sail 62 degrees to the wind, even though we reefed the lowest part of the sail. That's pretty good for a square sail. Normally the ship could only sail 70 degrees to the wind.

As we passed Lindesnes Lighthouse, mate Kjetil asked us all to stand up, put right hand on the heart and hail the lighthouse.

"Lindesnes!" we yelled with voices heavy with gravity - not unlike the narrator in the film we watched on the Lighthouse the other day. And I thought kindly of the lighthouse keeper.

Now we are closer to Lista Lighthouse than Lindesnes. The cloudy sky are due a front, heading our way.

Kjetil just came by: We will probaly have a southern wind as the front will be upon us. Great... then we can have a little more speed. We also expect rain tonight. But whatever; we've managed that so nicely before.

Now supper is ready, and I will close the computer for now. The menu: Soup. Spirits are high. A few are a little seasick, but not much.


Created by Henrik Kastoft