Route Map   Weather Map   Daily Journal         Q & A   Special Reports   Education Section           The Game		Wind generator keeps Snorri in touch Click on the pictures below to view enlargements Installing our new wind generator with Erik's assistance     Log Date: June 30, 1998 Author: John Abbott Lat/Lon: 64.30 N 52.07 W Location: At anchor north of Nuuk Course: At anchor Speed: At anchor Weather: Sunny and warm. 62° Sightings: Jagged snowy peaks to the south   Log Date: June 30, 1998 The bright morning sun sits low on the horizon, making Erik's face difficult to discern when he awakens me for the 6 to 7 a.m. anchor watch. I've already had to slip on my sunglasses as the glare off the still smooth water, while pleasing and welcoming, is too bright for the early morning eyes. The rest of the crew are getting their last few winks as we've decided to sail early today beginning our journey north to the Arctic Circle, our first port of call lying roughly 100 miles ahead in Manitsoq. Moments like these are rare for each of us and to be celebrated. We're really enjoying each other's company, catching up on the life stories that the past year, since our thwarted attempt to get to Baffin, have brought for each of us. We're all encouraged by the experience and teamwork that is apparent (and the requisite amount of bad jokes and general hijinks) among us, but we all relish these times of personal solitude. When you share your bathroom, living room and bedroom with 8 people in a 55 ft. space, sometimes 24 hours a day, no matter how well things go, some reflective space is always welcome. We spent the day yesterday doing projects on the boat that we'd been unable to wrap up prior to our departure on Sunday afternoon. Dean and Erik worked to create a mounting system for our windmill that will generate electricity onboard necessary to power our computer and telecommunications gear. Checking the wind generator which we hope will keep our batteries charged.   Hodding and Homer prepared a "patch tarp" that would be thrown out over the bow to cover a hole in the hull (we're confident that this is a precaution and a scenario never exercised!) should we find ourselves in the unenviable situation of taking on water. Doug, John Gardner and I replaced our sheets with robolon line from last year's halyard. They've been sticky and hard to work when tacking and jibing. We attempted to pine tar the line to make it more visually pleasing without much luck. I also took the time to make sure that our mounted camera is functional and sound quality acceptable. Even the smallest project of drilling a hole into the cutting board so we can get a good grab on it while washing, contributes to the comfort and function of Snorri. Terry and Rob continue work and discussion about the optimal rudder size and profile, though with four of them on board (we may start a Rent-a-Rudder here in the Arctic Rim...) it will be a matter of experimenting under differing sailing conditions until consensus is reached. The previous evening (Saturday) our friend Benedicta from the Tourism Board prepared us a traditional Greenlandic farewell meal of seal soup. Opening ourselves to the rich tradition of eating sea mammals has really been a lesson in cultural relativity. Rob Stevens has joked continually that if I continue to eat the meat of animals that we in the lower latitudes consider endangered, I may not be able to get back into my home state of Vermont, a bastion of vegetarianism and animal rights activism. I guess I'll have to take my chances and hope for the best... We were escorted out of Nuuk by the local kayak club paddling their handmade hunting boats and screw rolling alongside to celebrate the beginning of our journey to Vinland. The mountains in the fjords still hold snow that defines the dramatic jutting knife-edges and spires rising from the coast. Hodding just rolled out of bed in his Viking clothing, determined to live for the next week in his wool underwear and overcoat, an exercise we will all undertake at some point to understand further what Leif and his crew experienced. I'm off for the kitchen to cook up some bulgur, dried fruit and nuts for breakfast. Only a few days out and the "bloatmeal" is already getting my goat! I will be sending photos at the end of the day. Top of page