Following is what I left in the Guest Book of the Communications Station which we visited Sunday afternoon:
Maryam is following the Viking Route from Bergen, Norway, to the US.
We left Bergen on 3 August and have stopped in Torshavn, Faroe Islands; Westman Islands and Reykjavik, Iceland; and Tasiilaq, Greenland. From here we hope to transit PCS and to cross to Newfoundland, then through the Straight of Belle Isle to Halifax and the US. We spent two comfortable nights in the anchorage just north of here as a storm (50 knot winds, 10 meter waves) raged outside.
Maryam is a 52' GRP sloop built by Hank Hinckley in 1982. Her hailing port is Birmingham, Alabama, the hometown of the captain and owner, Beverly Head.
The five crew include two Americans, a Norwegian, a Swede and his French girlfriend. The first mate is Trond Hjertø, a Norwegian on his third Atlantic crossing, whom the captain met in Ulsteinvik, Norway, where Maryam was prepared for the voyage. Al Erlandsen is a retired Foreign Service Officer from Seattle. He has a wooden sail boat there.Al contacted the captain through a mutual acquaintance, Larry Luce, who helped prepare Maryam. The Swede, David Johnson, is a professional photographer who has raced extensively in Australia.
Delphine Monnier, is from La Plaine sur Mer on the Bay of Biscay. She is a recent graduate of Nantes University where she studied integrated marine management of coastal areas. David and Delphine learned of the voyage from the captain's posting with the New York Yacht Club, which is his club.
We salute the staff here at the Communications and are quite grateful for their generous hospitality.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Prins Christian Sund - Storm
Maryam is currently tied up very uneasily to an almost completely ruined jetty at the weather/communication station at the eastern entrance to PCS. We arrived PCS from Tasiilaq Friday morning just ahead of a big storm. The harbor here was totally unsuitable for riding out the storm. However, as we knew, PCS has many fine anchorages. We just spent 2 very comfortable nights at one on the north side of the eastern entrance. The winds outside were 50 knots with 10 meter waves. At our anchorage winds were 25¨to 35 knots but, as we were anchored right up next to the head, no waves. Good holding, a splendid anchorage.The passage from Tasillaq here was fine with a lot of excellent downwind sailing in 25 knot winds. With the south flowing current we made good time, which we needed to do to beat the storm we knew was coming.
After 2 days of very rough weather, today is gorgeous -- one of the nicest all year so I'm told -- only the sixth sunny day this summer.
Passage through PCS should be spectacular.
The station here is not primarily a weather station as it was billed in the literature. Weather data collection is completely automated and controlled from Denmark. The 5 people here are Danish contractors who keep the communications equipment operable. This is one of the major communications points for the 200 flights a day between Europe & North America.
The people here are extremely hospitable and have let us use their internet connection. Hence my ability to send this email. I was also able to download a weather GRIB file, which indicates we should have a nice, easy 700 mile passage to the Straight of Belle Isle at the northern point of Newfoundland. We will leave Monday night or Tuesday morning. It should take about 5 days.
We are running a little short on water, and the water they have at the jetty is not potable, as was the case in Tasiilaq. Fortunately, there is a waterfall nearby where the water falls into the sea. We should be able to drive under it and fill up. We also should be able to go right up to a glacier face.
I hope I have better luck sending this email. Keep up the news from home.
Bev
Greenpeace Boat in Tasiilaq
Maryam rafted up next to Greenpeace boat in Tasiilaq, Greenland. Capt Bev poses while 1st Mate Trond tends the fenders.We hope to leave on the 375 mi sail to Prins Christain Sund tomorrow. PCS is reputedly one of the world's greatest passages.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Tasiilaq, Greenland
Maryam rafted up next to Greenpeace boat in Tasiilaq, Greenland. We hope to leave on the 375 mile sail to Prins Christain Sund tomorrow (Wednesday, August 26th). PCS is located in the southern tip of Greenland and is reputedly one of the world's greatest passages. 
Monday, August 24, 2009
FRIDAY AUG. 21st
We have someone delivering fuel in 2 hrs & then off to Tasiilaq Greenland (400 mi). Looks like good weather window. Should arrive Monday. Will work our way down East Coast and transit Prins Christian Sund, reportedly one of the most spectacular passages on earth.
In general the weather is getting dicier. A train of new lows forming over Newfoundland and stirring the seas between here and there quite dramatically. The passage from Greenland to Newfoundland will have to be timed well.
Hurricane Bill should not be an issue here. Hopefully it goes north of St Barths.
The list of repairs to the Maryam during our stay in Reykjavik includes:
1. 2 sails needed repair.
2. Replaced fresh water pump & removed the accumulator tank. It should not have been left in as the rapid on/off of the pump (that caused the hammer sound in the pipes) burned up the switch on the fresh water pump installed in Norway.
3. Replaced aft sump pump (drains aft head and galley sink). We botched the servicing of the old pump.
4. Main engine had two leaks in the cooling system.
4a. The major one filled the transmission with sea water. Potentially catastrophic. Replaced the transmission fluid cooling unit and flushed the transmission with new oil. Appears to be working OK.
4b. The minor one took longer to fix as we had to add new metal in several places.
5. We practiced with all of the sails.
6. Not a problem, but we needed provisions for 20 days as Greeenland may not have much.
7. Fuel transfer pump appears not to work. Spent many hours on this with no resolution. Will make do with 300 gal in the forward tanks.
We have someone delivering fuel in 2 hrs & then off to Tasiilaq Greenland (400 mi). Looks like good weather window. Should arrive Monday. Will work our way down East Coast and transit Prins Christian Sund, reportedly one of the most spectacular passages on earth.
In general the weather is getting dicier. A train of new lows forming over Newfoundland and stirring the seas between here and there quite dramatically. The passage from Greenland to Newfoundland will have to be timed well.
Hurricane Bill should not be an issue here. Hopefully it goes north of St Barths.
The list of repairs to the Maryam during our stay in Reykjavik includes:
1. 2 sails needed repair.
2. Replaced fresh water pump & removed the accumulator tank. It should not have been left in as the rapid on/off of the pump (that caused the hammer sound in the pipes) burned up the switch on the fresh water pump installed in Norway.
3. Replaced aft sump pump (drains aft head and galley sink). We botched the servicing of the old pump.
4. Main engine had two leaks in the cooling system.
4a. The major one filled the transmission with sea water. Potentially catastrophic. Replaced the transmission fluid cooling unit and flushed the transmission with new oil. Appears to be working OK.
4b. The minor one took longer to fix as we had to add new metal in several places.
5. We practiced with all of the sails.
6. Not a problem, but we needed provisions for 20 days as Greeenland may not have much.
7. Fuel transfer pump appears not to work. Spent many hours on this with no resolution. Will make do with 300 gal in the forward tanks.
Bev in the Blue Lagoon
After 5 days of problems with the boat, Captain Bev takes a break in the Blue Lagoon.
The silica is supposed to be good for the skin.
The silica is supposed to be good for the skin.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
In Port - Reykjavík
Tied up next to us in Reykjavik were Ralph & Robert Brown, two brothers enroute from Tampa to Germany in a 21' Flats Boat. (ON the boat may be more accurate as there is no interior.) They strongly recommended Tasiilaq Greenland, their previous stop.From the Brown's website: A shallow water boat crossing the Atlantic Ocean, captained by Ralph and Robert Brown, will set multiple Guinness Book World Records! A US Marine (Former), Ralph's idea is to “Do More Than Just Say Thanks” for our wounded veterans.This voyage keeps a 29 year old solemn promise Ralph made to honor fallen heroes from the ill fated 1980 EAGLE CLAW mission (pdf) to rescue the US Embassy hostages in Iran in 1980. Ralph, as a United States Marine, was on the original roster to go, but a different unit was called up, and Sgt. John Harvey, Cpl. George Holmes, and SSgt. Dewey Johnson lost their lives.Setting out on June 27, 2009, the goals of this heroic adventure are to set new Guinness Book World records for a Transatlantic crossing and to raise money for Wounded Heroes from the USA, UK and Canada.Two brothers, Ralph and Robert Brown (Author of the book “Bermuda Suicide Challenge in a Flats Boat”) are crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a Dreamboats Intruder 21' Flats Boat - a small, open fishing boat (no cabin, no keel) that is able to operate in two inches of water. Their first World Record was an Atlantic Trip was from North Carolina to Bermuda and back to NYC in 2007. The Dreamboats Intruder-21, powered by ultra reliable Interstate Batteries and a single Suzuki outboard, will be the first Flats Boat (and the smallest power boat) to cross the Atlantic Ocean. This voyage will take them from Tampa, Florida, up the US east coast, to Canada, Greenland, Iceland, London England and ending at the /Landstuhl Regional Medical Center/.near Frankfurt, Germany. The "I Am Second" voyage team is planning a reception with the wounded heroes being evacuated from our current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Tasiilaq has approximately 1,700 inhabitants. It is the largest town in East Greenland. The town has a picturesque setting in a fjord surrounded by high mountains and bisected by a small river.The flower valley behind the town has a unique flora and is a popular area for both short and long hikes. Tasiilaq is on the large island of Ammassalik, which is situated less than 100 km south of the Arctic circle.
Reykjavík
From Wikipedia:Reykjavík is located in southwest Iceland. The Reykjavík area coastline is characterized by peninsulas, coves, straits, and islands. Reykjavík has many volcanoes.
During the Ice Age (up to 10,000 years ago) a large glacier covered parts of the city area, reaching as far out as Álftanes. Other parts of the city area were covered by sea water. In the warm periods and at the end of the Ice Age, some hills like Öskjuhlíð were islands. The former sea level is indicated by sediments (with clams) reaching (at Öskjuhlíð, for example) as far as 43 m above the current sea level. The hills of Öskjuhlíð and Skólavörðuholt appear to be the remains of former shield volcanoes which were active during the warm periods of the Ice Age.
Reykjavik seen from Perlan.
After the Ice Age, the land rose as the heavy load of the glaciers fell away, and began to look as it does today.
But the capital city area continued to be shaped by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, like the one 4500 years ago in the mountain range Bláfjöll, when the lava coming down the Elliðaá valley reached the sea at the bay of Elliðavogur.
The largest river to run through Reykjavík is the Elliðaá River, which is non-navigable. It is one of the best salmon fishing rivers in the country. Mt. Esja, at 914 m, is the highest mountain in the vicinity of Reykjavík.
The city of Reykjavík is mostly located on the Seltjarnarnes peninsula, but the suburbs reach far out to the south and east. Reykjavík is a spread-out city; most of its urban area is in the form of low-density suburbs, and houses are usually widely spaced. The outer residential neighbourhoods are also widely spaced from each other; in between them run the main traffic arteries and a lot of empty space.
During the Ice Age (up to 10,000 years ago) a large glacier covered parts of the city area, reaching as far out as Álftanes. Other parts of the city area were covered by sea water. In the warm periods and at the end of the Ice Age, some hills like Öskjuhlíð were islands. The former sea level is indicated by sediments (with clams) reaching (at Öskjuhlíð, for example) as far as 43 m above the current sea level. The hills of Öskjuhlíð and Skólavörðuholt appear to be the remains of former shield volcanoes which were active during the warm periods of the Ice Age.
Reykjavik seen from Perlan.
After the Ice Age, the land rose as the heavy load of the glaciers fell away, and began to look as it does today.
But the capital city area continued to be shaped by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, like the one 4500 years ago in the mountain range Bláfjöll, when the lava coming down the Elliðaá valley reached the sea at the bay of Elliðavogur.
The largest river to run through Reykjavík is the Elliðaá River, which is non-navigable. It is one of the best salmon fishing rivers in the country. Mt. Esja, at 914 m, is the highest mountain in the vicinity of Reykjavík.
The city of Reykjavík is mostly located on the Seltjarnarnes peninsula, but the suburbs reach far out to the south and east. Reykjavík is a spread-out city; most of its urban area is in the form of low-density suburbs, and houses are usually widely spaced. The outer residential neighbourhoods are also widely spaced from each other; in between them run the main traffic arteries and a lot of empty space.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Westman Islands
We are in the Westman Islands just south (& part of Iceland). Just behind the building one can see the volcano whose eruption in 1973 almost destroyed the town & harbor. The people fought the lava's advance by spraying seawater. When forced to choose between saving the town or harbor, they saved the harbor.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Puffin Anyone?
The Westman Islands is home to the largest puffin colony in the world. 10 million Puffins live here.We are on a small Island off the coast of Iceland that they call the Pompeii of the North because it got wiped out by a volcano in 1973.
The entire city was buried. The authorities told the inhabitants they should not go back but they did anyway. The rocks are still hot around the mountain.
We had puffin for dinner, it tastes like liver. A very dark meat.
We're heading to another Island that is brand new. It popped up out of the water in 1963. It was a dramatic, fire-and-brimstone birth that erupted from the icy sea off the south coast of Iceland, among the Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands) at 63° 4' N, 20° 3' W. No one is allowed on it because scientists are studying how life forms on a new Island.
We're going to sail around it before heading to Reykjavik, which is a 14 hour sail away. We need to make some sail repairs there. The Crew working out well.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Faroe Islands
Maryam has made it to the Faroe Islands. All well.
From Wikipedia. The Faroe Islands, sometimes Faeroe Islands, Faroe(s), or Faeroes (Faroese: Føroyar, Danish: Færøerne) are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland.
The Faroe Islands have been an autonomous province of Denmark since 1948. Over the years, the Faroese have been granted control of most matters. Some areas still remain the responsibility of Denmark, though, such as military defence, foreign affairs and law.
The Faroe Islands have close traditional ties with Iceland, Shetland, Orkney and the Outer Hebrides. The Faroe Islands were politically associated with Denmark in 1380, when Norway entered the Kalmar Union with Denmark, which gradually evolved into Danish control of the islands, but this association ceased in 1814. The islands are represented on the Nordic Council by the Danish delegation.
From Wikipedia. The Faroe Islands, sometimes Faeroe Islands, Faroe(s), or Faeroes (Faroese: Føroyar, Danish: Færøerne) are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland.
The Faroe Islands have been an autonomous province of Denmark since 1948. Over the years, the Faroese have been granted control of most matters. Some areas still remain the responsibility of Denmark, though, such as military defence, foreign affairs and law.
The Faroe Islands have close traditional ties with Iceland, Shetland, Orkney and the Outer Hebrides. The Faroe Islands were politically associated with Denmark in 1380, when Norway entered the Kalmar Union with Denmark, which gradually evolved into Danish control of the islands, but this association ceased in 1814. The islands are represented on the Nordic Council by the Danish delegation.
Fyksesund
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFyksesund Landscape Park is a landscape park in Kvam, Norway. It is located around the Fyksesund fjord, an arm of the Hardangerfjord. Fyksesund Landscape Park is one of three landscape parks, coordinated by the organisation Landskapspark Hordaland, in the district of Hardanger, the other two being Herand Landscape Park, located on the southern side of the Hardangerfjord, directly opposite from Fyksesund, and Vikebygdkrinsen Landscape Park, north of the town of Odda.
The term "landscape park" is defined by Landskapspark Hordaland, which was founded and is funded by the county government of Hordaland, as "unique natural and cultural landscapes, delimited by common culture and identity". According to the organisation, "local communities and businesses are developed together in order to make the areas attractive as places of residence and for visiting".[1]
Fyksesund Landscape Park encompasses several small communities, including Steinstø, Fykse, Klyve, Porsmyr, Rykkje, Flotve and Soldal, with a total population of approximately 400 people. The communities around the inner part of the fjord do not have road connections, and can only be reached by boat or foot.[2]One of the mostly abandoned roadless villages is Botnen, through which a bicycle path runs, known for manufacturing of Hardanger fiddles in past times.[
Click image for more family photographs.
Beverly at the Folgefonn, Hardanger
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFolgefonna seen from the road E134
Location
Kvinnherad, Odda and Etne, Hordaland, Norway
Coordinates
60°00′N 6°20′E / 60°N 6.333°E / 60; 6.333Coordinates: 60°00′N 6°20′E / 60°N 6.333°E / 60; 6.333
Area
203 km²
Bondhusbreen - an offshoot of Folgefonna.
Folgefonna is a collective term for three glaciers in Hardanger, Norway,
Nordre (northern) Folgefonna (26 km²)
Midtre (central) Folgefonna (9 km²)
Sønde (southern) Folgefonna (168 km²), the third largest glacier in the mainland of Norway.
In total, Folgefonna covers 203 km². 14 May 2005 Folgefonna National Park was established, protecting the glaciers and the surrounding areas.
The glacier is home to a summer skiing resort, located on its northern region. One large outflow glacier from Folgefonna is Buarbreen
Click Photo for more images.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Trond Hjerte - First Mate
July 8, 2009My new first mate is Trond Hjerte. He is a Norwegian with a lot of sailing experience who has been working on Maryam almost non-stop for about a month. He is anxious to sail with me to the US.
Erik Aanderaa and his girlfriend Lilleanne arrive tomorrow to sail south with us.
Erik is the Norwegian who sailed with me from Amsterdam to Stavanger in 2000 and round North Cape (the northernmost point in mainland Europe) in 2002.
Sea Trials - A Good Day
July 8 2009
Today was a good day. Maryam passed her sea trial with flying colors. And I am moving on the boat tonight. The sea trial was an examination by an independent expert on boats who certifies that she is seaworthy (capable of being taken to sea in safety). I still have at least two days' work to get her where we will be comfortable sailing her in the ocean. I hope to head south late Friday or Saturday.
Bev
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