Finnsnes - Fleinvær

Today we have 3 m/s North wind, first day with t-shirts and sun screen, after a week of rain and generall miserableness : )

Max drying a broken genoa in Bodø. We didnt get far before the first of our museum sails ribbing in two : (. There will be many meters gluing and sewing for the following days!

The first part of the trip has showed us how impossible it is to plan and schedule a sailing trip. We made it past Bodø today originally we tought of approaching Trondheim latitudes by the weekend. Winds have been light, then too stormy for sailing, and now very light again. Setting strict dates just doesnt work on a trip like this! We are happy to have a very experienced and easy crew for this week, since there is a lot to find out when it comes to organizing watches and general well-being on moving sailing boat, especially when it comes to sleeping and spirits : ).

Another surprise has been all the friendly and interesting people we have already met on the way and during the preparations for the trip and the help we have received. I think we could write a book of all of all the wise advices  ; ). Special thanks goes to Ireen for psychological support and polishing all messing onboard, for Mette and Sverre for a thick roll of maps and for Ismo for driving 1300 km back and worth and spending a week overhauling Kiwi's engine and electrical system : ). 

Tromsø - Finnsnes

The first day of the voyage was full of unroutined sailors fuss. Like calculating wrongly the timing of the tide and therefor missing various good buy committees in Tromsø. Or loosing all the credit cards in the spill oil and therefore risking the finances of the whole journey.

Despite of that, the trip started with something we call in maritime terms ass-winds, great sailing and comfort of being finally on our way! Leaving the peer is an accomplishment on its self. No matter how far we get, at least we managed to leave : o).

Thanks so much for the good bye committees and everybody who joined for the farewell bbq last weekend! T

19 hours before departure

The offices are tidy, the bicycles are flattened. Dogs, cars and guitars have found a refuge. Amazing amount of unnecessary
stuff is carried out of the boat. We are sick and tired of reparations and ready to go!

Ship shape - also under water line : )

There is no hobby like a sailing boat

Some pics of the resent activities on board:


Collecting an adequate number of maps for the trip includes spending quite some money on amazon, drinking red wine with fellow sailors and, most of all, adjusting our idea of an adequate number of maps.

British authorities inspect ship's electrical and gas system before allowing entrance to the Scottish channels. We are thinking of heading to the Caledonian channel; It would be excellent to get somebody to inspect our wiring and hoses : )!

105 meters of new and shiny halyard sewed on. This was one of the few priority points on the todo-list, the old ones had served well about 20 years and were rather symbolic in places!

Maritime radio station s/y Kiwi LL7438 established!

Big blue baby in the belly of Kiwi requires attention  too: new belts, filters, impellers and a lot of good luck!