West Iceland

We are almost two months in Iceland. Arriving on the east coast on June 12, we sail via the north coast to Westfjörde and on to Reykjavik/Akranes.

An extended period of southerly winds is expected and we sail on from Isafjördur to Sudureyri. We are granted a free berth on the pier by the harbour master so that the fishing boats can unload their catch in the evening. The smell of fish in the air leaves no doubt about the active fishing industry in this village. It gets lively on the jetty. Some of the villagers have seen our mast and check out what kind of boat it is in the evening. We enjoy lively conversations.

We initially have a good upwind course for the next leg into the second largest Westfjord, Arnafjördur. Then we head out to the anchorage in front of Bildudalur harbor with just under 30 kts. Once again, we are impressed by how the winds in the fjords change and increase in strength. As we will stay here for seven days, safe from the approaching storm from the south, we take it very relaxed. A few boat jobs, PC work, reading, planning, indoor sports, lots of sleep, watching TV and virtual aperitifs with friends and family are just as much a part of the daily program as chilling in the hot tub, visiting the local monster museum and drinking a beer at happy hour in the village pub. Given the wind forecast, we opt for a slightly more sheltered neighboring bay, which also has a swimming pool with a hot tub right on the beach.

And again the autopilot is acting up, but with a reset via the main switch it's running again. Even though we have a lot of spare parts on board, we are very glad that we don't have to carry out any major repairs here. During the night, the wind picks up to 40 kts and we have to reset the anchor with a lot of chain as we have drifted. We keep an anchor watch and the next day we feel like we've just crossed the ocean. Although the sky is opening up and we would like to go to the pool on the beach, we abandon our plans to go ashore as heavy gusts keep blowing across the bay. We don't want to leave the Aegir unattended. For another day and night, with winds peaking at 50 kts, we have to hold out until we can finally disembark. With a view of the Aegir, we relax for hours, alternating between the pool and the very hot hot tub.

Continuing south: the wind strength and the frequently changing directions allow us to sail actively. Butterfly or not; engine on and off again. Once we reach the cape, the wind and waves are rough and we motor towards Patreksfjördur. Here is a pioneering town in terms of fishing and the shipbuilding industry (container construction, tugboats). The boat is moored against the concrete wall and we don't see much of the surrounding area. After a short hike and some shopping, we cast off again and anchor directly in front of the sandy beach Hafnamuli - unfortunately with lots of jellyfish, so no swimming.

The journey continues close to the coast with its huge cliff, Látrabjarg. It is the westernmost point of the island. It's ideal for observing the bird paradise with puffins, guillemots, auks and gulls when there is no wind and the engine is running. In Breidafjördur there is too much swell from the south and the planned anchorage on a 10 km long red sandy beach (Raudasand) is therefore impossible. So we motor on to Vatnsfjördur. It was here that Iceland got its name. Vikings Hrafna-Flóki and companions came ashore here. After spending a cold winter here, they christened the island "Iceland" because they saw the fjords full of sea ice in the spring. A mild evening with sunshine awaits us here. We take the dinghy ashore and once again treat ourselves to a dip in the hot tub. The next morning, following the Icelandic tip, we pick up the lobster basket with two crabs we laid out earlier and enjoy them as a delicious starter.

Sailing to Grundafjördur is another mix of sailing and motoring in glorious temperatures of around 20 degrees. The only floating dock is already occupied by other sailors and we moor at the large concrete wall with truck tires. Getting off the boat is sometimes an exciting maneuver. The tidal range is currently high (> 4 m) and at low tide we have to climb over the slippery steps of the rung ladder. Fortunately, there is no wind and we don't have to constantly readjust the lines.

This region is characterized by a new landscape. The rock structures are more jagged, extremely green and reveal the remains of craters. This is an excellent hiking area, even for us. We venture on a five-hour tour by coach from here to visit Snaefellnes National Park by road. On a clear day, we even get to see the glacier and summit of the Snaefellsjoekull volcano (1446 m).

We are constantly checking the ice situation around Greenland and are in contact with other sailors. According to the ice charts, the ice in the south and also in the east is slowly breaking up. Sailors have already set off for Prins Christian Sund and Tasiilaq in mid-July. We are increasingly confident about our Greenland tour, with a further trip to Canada. The search for a berth, possibly with a haul-out, in Canada begins now.

First we continue our journey to Reykjavik. After a night's sailing, we reach the marina at the modern concert hall in a fast half-wind. A package with a spare part is already waiting for us at the DHL parcel station. The international DHL shipping is not cheap, but within two days the parcel is already in Reykjavik and we can collect it from a locker on Sundays with a PIN. We have been in a major tourist city for a long time. It's a pleasure to stroll past the many boutiques and restaurants. Fortunately, we don't need any new clothes and we eat at the Aegir. With its lush plants, the parks are a stark contrast to the Iceland we have seen so far.

Now we start preparing for the next stage and waiting for a good weather window to Greenland.

Our last stop is in Akranes. The fishing harbor is quiet, the fishing season is over. Once again we get a free berth and really appreciate the contact with the extremely friendly and helpful harbour masters. Here we stay until the crossing. The waiting time ahead is relaxed: Swimming in the sea, picking mushrooms directly on the beach and hiking up Geirmundartindur (643 m) - the more prominent of the two Akrafjall peaks. With a hire car, we spend another three days driving around the highlands and the north. After doing the last bit of shopping, we are ready to set off. Our patience is put to the test. One low-pressure system after another passes between Iceland and Greenland. This summer is probably not the best - even the Icelanders think so - and yet it is beautiful here. Icelanders are now celebrating the end of their summer in August. It's time to get going! On August 2nd the time has come and we set sail for the fjord Ikerasassuaq (Prins Christian Sund).