Voyage overview
- Year: 2011
- Destination: Northern Iceland out of Húsavik
- Boat: Haukur
- Vessel type: Traditional Oak Schooner 70 (built 1973)
- Distance sailed: 171 nautical miles
- Skipper: Mark Daniel
- Crew: Chris Robson (“AC”), Andrew Wagstaff (“BigIce”), Mark Wells (“Which Way”), Simon Tyler (“SailWeight”), Warren Creates (“Warboy”), Boris Ulehla (“Borealis”), David Ashfield (“Dasher”)
Logbook notes
Arctic seas, early snow repainting the shores, and magic in the sky.
Sailing from Husavik, Akureyri north to Grímsey, the crew crossed the Arctic Circle — officially and ceremonially. Minke and pilot whales swam close, and one night the heavens exploded into Northern Lights so vivid even the whisky froze in mid-air.
Haukur was set for gentle whale watching tours, not for a typical Phat Buoy voyage, hoisting the heavy canvas sails proved nearly disastrous — “don’t let them touch the water or they’ll drag us under!” — and Simon, acting as human ballast, nearly went with them.
Although his sea salted iPhone didn’t, he recovered with rum, bursting marine life ear drums singing Spanish Eyes over the tannoy to mark his survival.
