St John's to Nanortalic Day 10 - 15/8/25

We heave to at midnight; not because the sailing is uncomfortable; Bonny is taking it in her stride (and in fact conditions have temporarily moderated to Force 5/6) on a beam reach and going well; but because, given the latest weather information, we calculate that a fairly narrow window will open this afternoon/evening when, providing we're in the right place at the right time, we'll be able to approach Nanortalik after the gale in daylight and crucially, given the state of the engine, before the post gale calm envelopes the area.

We have now given up hope of resuscitating the engine before we arrive but George is confident he can rig up the emergency jerry can fuel supply in order to get us in to port. It should give us a few hours running time before the jerry can needs  topping up.

Prior to heaving to, we estimate our likely rate of drift (0.5- 1k) and its direction (south east - so maintaining our easting) in order to determine when we need to get underway again so as to make our desired approach window. It looks like 1000 should enable us to hit our targeted arrival time of 2000. 

We both go below to get some much needed shut eye. Given we'll only be drifting slowly, I'm not too concerned about ice bergs, but we establish a 3 hourly radar check just in case. With the radar horizon set to 6 miles, we should have plenty of time to take any evasive action that may be needed. We did have a bit of a scare during the previous gale when it seemed that we were surrounded by bergs in the dark. Eventually, I worked out that it was in fact just "clutter" caused by the wave crests. That's dealt with by reducing the "Gain" setting on the radar. It's important not to overdo it however because of the risk of not seeing something that is really there!

I check the radar at 0400. It's clear and we are drifting as anticipated. George checks at 0700 and gets the same result and goes back to bed. At 0800, I need a pee and check the radar again. Something clearly changed in the intervening hour because we have drifted north west so much that we are now to the north and west of the position in which we hove to. It's not good news, we now face the prospect of having to beat into Nanortalik amidst the coming gale if we are to get in before dark.

We get underway as quickly as possible on a close reach on the starboard tack in an attempt to regain some easting. To begin with we are only make 3-4 knots. The boat is comfortable and could go on forever like this, but after a couple of hours we realise it's not fast enough to make our window. It's time to engage warp drive. I unfurl the genoa from 1/4 size to 3/4 size and soon Bonny is romping along at 6+ knots, just occasionally dipping her rail. That's good enough - we're back on schedule and just as welcome the wind backs further eastwards allowing us to ease the sheets and enjoy a more comfortable ride. The wind strengthens a bit more, rain lashes down and the fog closes in. Neither of us are in any doubt that we're experiencing a full gale. 

We both derive a strange satisfaction from the fact that we are hurtling towards "The Place of Polar Bears" in a foggy gale with ice bergs expected at any moment. It seems only right that we are in these conditions rather than motoring across a calm blue sea under a sunny sky. This is, after all, as we later learn, the "coolest place on earth" and for first timers like us - including one self confessed 'thrill seeker' - you can't get much cooler than storming along in a full gale towards the land of ice and mountains! 

At around 1600 the radar picks up what we assume are ice bergs, 6 miles off both our starboard and port bow. Around 1730, we see the first berg off our port bow in the flesh and shorrtly after the second to starboard. 

This is the way point, 6 miles off Nanortalik, at which  to make our turn towards the port.

I make the turn to starboard and as Bonny hardens up onto a close reach once more, she starts dipping her rail again and picks up speed. More icebergs appear out of the mist further ahead but fortunately the visibility improves and soon we no longer need the radar to pick our way safely through them. 

I'm surprised by how many there are. All sorts of shapes and sizes, although none are truly massive and none are as big as the first berg we spotted in the Labrador sea.

George goes below to start preparing the emergency fuel system. Thankfully we begin to getva lee from the land and the sea flattens out which is just what George needs to get things sorted. Taming a jerry can in heaving seas would not be fun.

In half an hour George pokes his head up and tells me it's all set. With fingers crossed I pre-heat the engine, push the starter button and ...... the engine immediately roars into life. A few minutes later, the wind dies to almost nothing and we continue on our way under power as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

But for us, the extraordinary has happened. As Northern Waters newbies, we've crossed the iconic Labrador Sea from St John's to South West Greenland. We've been through sunny days and gentle sailing, been becalmed for long spells, seen our first iceberg, weathered two gales, suffered engine failure, spent hours fighting the beast in rolling seas, covered numerous miles in thick fog, and heavy rain, dodged scores of ice bergs and now we are about to arrive - stirred but not shaken - well ok a little bit shaken!

At 1950, 10 minutes before our planned ETA, we tie up at the Fish Dock in Nanortalik!