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Log Date: July 5, 1998
Author: John Gardner
Lat/Lon: 64.30 N 52.07 W
Location: Fiskefjord, near Atangmik
Course: At anchor
Speed: At anchor
Weather: Fog
Sightings: Two big ol' caribou
A high-stakes card game
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We don't have access to the Web, so it is interesting to receive e-mail and be
asked questions regarding things read or seen on the Web. It makes me wonder what
the other guys are writing. Looking forward to some response to our questions of
the day! Today's is: what is the best system for warm, dry hands on an open boat
in the North Atlantic? Rob would also like to know the source of the term "prussik."
[Also "prusik," a sliding knot in a looped rope. Send answers to adventure@landsend.com.
Ed]
We had a good sail yesterday. We used the smallest rudder (#1), which performed well
going downwind with small adjustments to the sail. Of course, with a southerly wind
in Greenland comes the rain. The underway tent is working out well - it is nice to
duck in out of the rain, shuck your wet gear and read or take a short nap. We tucked
in behind some little islands under a double reef (which we put in when the wind
increased from 10 to 25 knots within 15 minutes). With only a couple of strokes of
the sweeps, and John Abbott giving soundings, I let go the anchor in a calm, chalky,
aquamarine cove with a depth of 11 fathoms. We were only 6 miles from Maniitsoq,
but in time to toast Homer's 20th birthday.
Last night 5 of us played Kapaka (a Greenlandic card game not unlike UNO) where the
stakes were high - the loser (Hodding) had to take the winner's (John Abbott's) anchor
watch. Hodding was quite upset and accused me of cheating, even though Rob backed
me up on the rules. So Hodding and I wrestled for the better sleeping spot, which
I won - but then lost in 2 out of 3 rock\paper\scissors matches - much to the entertainment
of the crew.
No one was particularly anxious to get going this chilly wet morning. In fact, we
rolled out around noon, and breakfast was underway at 1:20 PM. The pictures are of
our brunch, with Erik cooking Danish pancakes (crepes) and Homer assisting. The rest
of the crew jockeyed for positions under the anchor tent, with Doug still in the
sack at 1:45 PM.
We have only been out a week and I am already looking forward to a hot shower (not
only for myself) and some dry gear. Some of the guys have taken baths in fresh-water
ponds at our last anchorage, and Doug even did the "boat wash," where you
bring a bucket of seawater on board, get wet and wash down, then jump overboard for
the rinse. It is surprising how quickly one can get back on board after diving into
40-degree water.
We are about 70 miles from the Arctic Circle, and all of us would like to sail inside
it - even if we have to backtrack because of ice near Baffin Island. Tomorrow we
should get the latest ice reports - which will shape our decision on the route to
take.
We sailed off our anchorage around 5 PM after cleanup and a rudder change to the
Cleopatra rudder (#2), which Rob had reshaped. We had a nice, slow sail for about
3 miles, then a long row for another 3 miles into the harbor of Maniitsoq, where
we are rafted up to a fishing boat. Unfortunately, it is leaving early in the morning
which means no sleeping in for us, but that's okay with me because I'm hitting the
shower first thing. Good night.
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