7/21/21
Have done a lot this summer of unexpected things. Opened the website and then I went sailing on a schooner which was just as exciting as the website design and the memories will probably have to compete for which was the greater experience, I suspect the schooner. But anyway, these two experiences made me want to do more of them. Creating recipes really surprised me with the patience and ability but certainly the imagination.
Saw an ad asking for seats in women's sailing around Iceland, where environmental issues would be addressed and taken care of and try to draw attention to ocean acidification and what we really need to do about the environment. The trip was also made to draw attention to how few women there are in sailing, and this would be just as much for us as for men. I applied for and was allocated a seat share from Akureyri to Húsavíkur. The anticipation was so great that I felt like a child waiting for Christmas. I feel a bit like this is the only thing I have left to see of Iceland is to sail around it, and it wouldn't be worse to sail with a schooner, drifting silently forward and looking dreamily at the landscape around me.
I arrived in Akureyri in Icelandic summer weather of 10° and a little wind. On the occasion of the women's cruise, Norðursailing offered a women's cruise alongside us from Akureyri to Húsavíkur, and they could go with whoever they wanted. We sailed on Opal, a beautiful schooner.
It started just before noon on June 23. Here is a short description of the trip, it was cold and cloudy, cloudy down the mountains and still a lot of snow in them, we sailed on the west side of Hrísey and the route leads out to the Eyjafjörður, when we got to Gjögurtá the currents and directions turned out to sway us under we continued to swim for a while and my health got worse with that so I laid down on a bunk while the worst was over. But then it got better and we had a lovely cruise when we got to Skjálfandaflói and the rest of the way. Whales took a little look at us, from a distance.
I can't help but say, even though my dream has become a little more elusive, I enjoyed every minute and am looking forward to learning more about schooner sailing and maybe one day I will be able to complete the circuit on a schooner 😊
I also really enjoyed watching the Resilient sail the entire circle. When they sailed for Vestfjörðurjaw, I was sick at home and watched their live broadcast and felt almost as if I was there, sitting on the deck in that lovely tenderness they received. I thought this was a very good and necessary initiative and thank you very much and I feel extremely lucky to have been able to be around this great group of women.