Our boat is called Njord. It has taken us on a tour around the world. We, the weak-willed crew, are called Bo and Hanne.
Njord left the harbour of Copenhagen with us in June 2005. The plan is to return to Copenhagen in the summer of 2008. At that time having worked our way over the Atlantic, then staying close to the equator and eventually going home through the Red Sea and the Mediterranean.
Bo is educated as a photographer and enjoys the many opportunities the trip gives him in his work. As something new he has taken up underwater-photography, which has been exciting and rewarding so far. Therefore we dive almost everywhere we go. This is possible since we have all the gear and a Bauer dive-compressor onboard. Apart from taking good photos, Bo is the captain and engineer on board.
I, Hanne, is a schoolteacher and unfortunately I could not bring my schoolclass with me. Instead of teaching I practice writing articles and off course I´ m the first mate on Njord. Apart from that I have the responsibility for the cosmetic maintenance of the boat and all the provisioning. For me this circumnavigation has been a big challenge. In the beginning I was very afraid of sailing and was quite seasick. I´ m proud to have overcome both the fear of sailing and the fear of diving.
Our wonderful Njord is a Colin Archer: 38 foot, long keeled and double ended. It is a steel boat and build in Holland the year 1992. Because of its 18 ton it is not a fast boat. But it is definitely beautiful, steady and seaworthy.
During the first year we had constantly different crew on board. Even though Njord does not have separate cabins, it has been a great experience to have crew. Especially in the beginning when we were less comfortable and skilled. But also on the long crossings over the Atlantic and from Galapagos to the Marquesas in French Polynesia. On a non-stop leg for 21 days it is of course great to be four persons sharing the nightshifts and the cooking. Socially it is also rewarding and we are glad to have made new friends in this way. Click here if you would like to sail with us.
From Denmark to the Canary Islands
End of June 2005 we left the waters of Denmark. Going through the Kieler-kanal in Germany, following the coast of Holland, sailing over to England, crossing the Biscay, we ended up in Spain in the beginning of September.
Slowly moving down the beautiful coasts of Spain and Portugal and then sailing out on the Atlantic sea we reached the Canary Islands in October.
This was the end of the first part of our trip. Now we had made the very first experiences with overnight sailing, analysing weather charts and repairing/improving our equipment.
The Atlantic crossing and the Caribbean
Preparing for the 2-3 weeks crossing over to Barbados was hard work, but exiting. End of November we had the hurricane Delta hitting the Canary Islands . This was very surprising and we were just lucky to be in a safe harbour. After that we were quite sure that the hurricane season was over, so we headed down to The Cape Verde Islands. Soon a deep low was again formed in the Atlantic and threatened to come our way. It never happened and the 9-day sail turned out to be great and smooth sailing. We caught beautiful fish, saw lots of dolphins and had 5 Orcas passing by.
The Cape Verde Islands is an interesting place and we were astonished by the fact that we had already sailed the whole way to Africa. We now feel that Africa is really not that far away from Europe.
After 2 weeks on Cape Verde Islands we were ready for the long crossing over to the Caribbean. After 17 days we arrived safely to Barbados on the 2. January 2006. On the way we had celebrated both Christmas and New Year – a lifetime experience. The 17 days on the sea also taught us a lot. Bo improved his navigation skills and I finally succeeded cooking without being seasick.
The Caribbean Islands gave us the sun, warm sea and beautiful scenery that we had dreamed about. The laidback reggae-style of the people was both enjoyable and interesting. But the part of the Caribbean we visited is also a bit crowded and we soon longed for more quit anchorages and unspoiled underwater world.
Less tourists we found on some of the Venezuelan Islands, Los Testigos and Los Roques – very intriguing places. This was the first time we saw islands without any cars and streets made of sand.
Panama, Galapagos and the crossing to The Marquesas
Beginning of March 2006 we knew that our time in the Caribbean was running out. The cue for going through the Panama Canal was long. Everybody could expect 2-4 weeks of waiting. But the San Blas Islands of Panama were just to unique not to see. We spend two weeks there with the Kuna Indians and so far it has been one of the absolute highlights of our circumnavigation.
And then we waited in dirty and criminal Colon – for 3 ½ weeks. We spend the time provisioning and repairing/improving all sorts of stuff on the boat. The only good thing was that everybody else was waiting as well, so people were open and eager to talk and party.
Going through the Canal and sailing the 900 nm to Galapagos went well. And Galapagos was something special. We loved getting so close to penguins, sea lions, giant turtles, sea turtles, iguanas and sharks. Here one could stay forever – but 3 weeks is not bad either.
And then…wow we had to cross the huge stretch of sea between Galapagos and French Polynesia – 2900 nm or 6500 km. It took us 21 day. It was a special experience, but not easy. The wind slowly increased during the three weeks – being constantly between 22 and 30 knots the last weeks. That makes you tired and every task you have becomes a hassle.
In the end we where just thrilled to make landfall at the gorgeous and lush Fatu Hiva, Marquesian Islands and then al the troubles were forgotten.
The Pacific Islands
We feel extremely privileged so far to have spend 5 month in French Polynesia, The Cook Islands, Niue and Tonga. The people have been outmost friendly and their culture more than interesting. The beauty of the islands is beyond words and the weather just perfect. The only negative thing is the prices in French Polynesia. But we were prepared and had bought lots of caned veggies in Panama.
We spend our time swimming, diving, reading, relaxing, maintaining the boat, exploring the islands and drinking endless sundowners in the cockpit – just the two of us or with some of the other cruisers. For a cruiser these islands are a true paradise.
New Zealand
On the 15 November we left Tonga to go to New Zealand. This was one of the crossings, we had feared the most. It was not more than 1200 nm, but for the first time in a year, we sailed no longer with the Tradewinds. From now on lows, trugh, fronts and variable wind were the reality. And we had heard enough stories about boats going down or having problems on this stretch. So Bo studied and studied and discussed the matter over and over again with the other captains.
Fortunately we had absolutely no problems and 10 days later, we could drop our anchor here in Opua, Bay of Islands.
The stay in New Zealand is for many sailors about getting a break from the sailing. At this time we have sailed around 20.000 nm – and that is a lot. So apart from a few short sails in Bay of Islands with friends, we have not moved our boat for the last 4 months. And that’s just great.
It is a relief not to be on the move all the time. We actually need to get a bit bored. Otherwise we will not be ready for the long way home and all the exiting places that lie ahead of us.
New Zealand is also the place to repair your boat. Here you can buy all the bits and pieces that were not to be found on the islands. So we work - on the boat, on making pictures and writing articles.
Soon we will drive around the North Island for 3 weeks. Then there is only on month left before we have to leave for Tonga again – this will be at the end of April. Before leaving we need to haul out and do a lot of other preparations.