In the morning of the 15th of July, we leave Hornvik with a gentle East – North East breeze towards Isafjordur. Guillaume is exploring various options to leave Boreal at the end of the month before his Greenland expedition. He has been thinking of Isafjordur for a while after a number of discussions with Islandic and Arctic navigation experts. Indeed, the place is known as a ‘cyclone’s hole’ being so well protected at the bottom of a snail shell-shaped slip of land at the end of a wide and deep fjord.
As we reached Isafjordur after a few hours at sea, Guillaume can already spot a number of boats met in Spitzbergen or heard of through Arctic networks. Clearly Isafjordur is the starting point of Greenland expeditions being located only at 200 miles from the East coast of Greenland. After a few discussions on the pontoons and with the Harbour Master, it is decided that we will leave Boreal here at the end of the month and not at Reykyavic as originally planned. This means that we will have much more time to explore the West Fjords at depth. The downside is that we won’t be able to get as South as the Flatey Archipelago this time around.
The boat is moored and the kids rushed to the local swimming pool where they spent a few hours playing with local boys, who speak perfect English. Once again, we realise how the children’s command of English open doors and allow them to tie bounds so quickly.
One night at Isafjordur sorting a few logistical aspects and we are off to Vigur Island at the crossing of three sub-fjords in Isafjordur. We get going with a stunning weather, bright sun and flat sea. It is getting warm and we reach the 20 degrees, which doesn’t happen so often in Island. Vigur island is the small island where live a family in harmony with old Islandic traditions. As we approach the Island to moore, Guillaume reached the landowners through the VHF to seek authorisation to come onshore.
Once on land, the owner advises us to take some sticks and hold them above our heads to shield us against assaults from the Artic sterns who protect their eggs fiercely. We start our walk and enjoy the breathtaken views over the fjord. We are still looking for whales with no luck. We meet a colony of Eiders who are very precious animals for Icelanders who collect their down and export it to the world.
As we walked back to the boat, Alix is attacked by an Arctic Stern, who, in anger, drops a sardine it was holding on its beak, onto Alix’s head, who runs off in panick, slips and falls on the groung which triggers everyone’s laughter.
We go back on board and leave our mooring to reach Sudavik for the night as the anchor was slipping when tested and Guillaume doesn’t seem comfortable staying moored here over night.
As we reached Sudavik and become connected again to the world, we find out late and with great sadness the news of the Nice terrorist attacks. Being so far away, it is almost impossible to conceive this as being part of real life in France. We are very far away from France and indeed and yet to our surprise and pleasure, as we are getting ready for the night, we receive the visit of a French Family, Rodolphe and Stephanie with their children Mathilde and Mathis who have settled down in this tiny village of the West Fjord of Island.
The next day, we decide to stay at Sudavik as the children are so happy to spend some time with Mathilde. They spend the day cooking and playing in the village’s playground like they have been knowing each other for ever and pay a visit to the national arctic fox center. Mathis and Stephanie come back from a fishing trip in the evening and they got invited to by German friends and bring huge cod fishes and cat fishes. We are kindly invited to a barbecue at Stephanie and Rodolphe’s house and enjoy very pleasant company and a succulent fish meal.