23/08/2009, S/Y Best Explorer - Tromsoe
After a good rest in Recherchefjorden we woke up finding another sailboat near us. Later on we were approached by our neighbors: we have been sailing along the coasts of Spitzbergen more or less at the same time. Actually we were near or around Bifall, that's the name of the boat, in Longyearbyen, Hamburgbukta, Hornbaekpollen and we both visited Moffen and Mushamna. They were so nice hat we decided to have lunch together the following day, so we did on Best Explorer and later on saturday we had coffee on Bifall and the precious gift of some Red Spirit we ran short. They left Recherchefjorden before us and are on their way to Bjornoeya where we might meet again. Meteo forecast improved during our stay in Recherchefjorden and despite the unexpected and much welcome visit of a polar bear, the first experience for Nicoletta, Giacomo and Clemente, we also sailed on the nigth of sunday. We are now motoring in the middle of Storfjordrenna on a sea with long rollers from south west and east, but little wind. The only thing we lack is heating, because webasto air heater left us a few days ago and we cannot run the stove while motoring. Too bad. It s the third time since we left Italy and we definitely feel it's time to do something basic to solve this nasty problem.
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19/08/2009, S/Y Best Explorer - Tromsoe
Quiet and peaceful day after the yesterday's fresh wind. We took our time and later in the afternoon we sailed around Recherchefjorden and headed towards Fleur de Lyshamna where we will be in a better position to walk ashore despite the bad weather we are expecting in the next days. A number of seals, included one bearded seal (the others we have not been able to identify) could be seen from our vantage point on a mirror sea. Further on Van Keulenfjorden was completely littered with ice such as we never found elsewhere in this cruise. Nevetherless we have been able to reach our target. Fleur de Lyshamna is a really beautiful bay, sandy all around and protected from all directions except from the inner fjord. Let's hope in a reasonable weather for tomorrow. Now the sky is overcast with occasional rain and the few ice blocks in the bay are leaving us for the open waters, sometime colliding with our hull with loud noises. If the wind will come from west or south we will rest comfortably. Big change! woken up at half past three in the morning by some noise we found ourselves surrounded by ice! Ebbing tide was filling the bay with ice, some chunks quite large: dreadful noise when they hit the hull! Probably not dangerous, but still... We weighed anchor as soon as possible for fear to be blocked by the ice. No wind at all, for the moment, but the situation might become critical in a minute. For more than one hour we carefully moved through the ice, avoiding it as much as possible. At last we were out of it and back in Recherchefjorden, where we anchored again near our previous place, with the company of another Norwegian boat. Now we are going back to sleep
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