Thu
21 Aug
2014
Last night we sailed down Forlandsund, heading for Prins Karls Forland, but the wind was so strong that the anchor didn’t really hold, so we decided to go for Eidembukta instead, hoping for better shelter there. Which worked well. After all these miles and maneouvres, I went to sleep after 5 am. It may have to do with that if I am a bit tired now. Almost a bit sad, or melancholic. West Coast Blues. The trip is coming to an end, there is no way around it. Everybody has grown into a tight group now, knowing each other, the routines are all working well, we could so easily continue for another week or two. But zivilisation is not far anymore. Dates, flights, business, family … are all demanding their rights.
But we are not there yet. First, we spend a precious couple of hours on the west coast tundra again. After all the ice and cold of the far north, the rocky landscapes of the northwest and the mighty glaciers of Krossfjord, you might almost feel at home here. This landscape is not so harsh, not so inhospitable, almost inviting. Well, in comparison.
Click on thumbnail to open an enlarged version of the specific photo.
I have been in Eidembukta just a few weeks ago, in early June. It feels like ages ago! Back then, we had snow down to sea level. Almost the whole, wide-open coastal tundra plain was white, where autumn colours are stretching now between the sea and the mountains and glaciers. No trace of snow anymore today. Back then, almost every snow-free tundra patch was occupied by geese, now there is just a group of female common eiders paddling in the bay, the stress of the breeding season is already history for them. The world has changed incredibly quickly, within less than 7 weeks! The arctic summer is coming and going so quickly.