Fire and Ice - Part 2
Sailing from the Shetland Islands to the Faroe Islands | 11-14 August 2019
To end our “pitstop” in the Shetlands, we sourced any remaining provisions and prepared Jolie Brise for the next leg of our voyage - to the Faroe Islands. We were aiming to get to Tórshaven in good time and thankfully we didn’t have too much distance to cover. By the morning, the weather had improved hugely from the miserable and particularly windy stretch we’d had so far; And so, with high spirits and huge anticipation we left Lerwick and headed out into the open ocean. For a little while there was nothing surrounding us but undulating deep blue water. The silence was eerie but peaceful at the same time. I think my favourite thing about sailing is the tranquillity that comes with being so small, floating in something so big. Being in control and yet at the mercy of the weather and sea surrounding you. Nothing is better than the feeling of the wind in your hair and salt on your skin.
We cruised on over the rolling waves and before we knew it, the Faroes were looming into view. I was stunned, never before had I seen such a dramatic landscape. Colossal pyramids of grass covered rock, erupted from the sea, speckled with clusters of buildings in the low-lying areas.
On our entry to Tórshaven, we followed a convoy of fishing vessels into the harbour and came alongside another traditional sailing boat. I strung our shore power and water across and met the young woman who was supervising her. She gave me a tour and explained the history and current use of the vessel. Owned by a Danish gentleman, she was now being used as a chartered ship to take guests all across coastal Scandinavia and the Faroes.
Our passage plan meant that we had approximately 24 hours in Tórshaven. It wasn’t long but we certainly tried to make the most of it. The majority of the day was spent walking the streets of the city, taking photographs. We passed neat rows of multicoloured houses, some with grass roofs and wood panelled fronts. The cityscape was like something out of a fairy tale.
Having weaved our way through countless cobbled streets and alleyways, our escapade ended and we headed back to the boat for some well-deserved supper, a debrief of our voyage so far and what we should be expecting in the coming days. The light was fading, and an inky blue wash slowly flooded the sky. I took a moment to sit alone on deck, at the bow of the boat. It was almost silent with only the sea lapping at the hull and suddenly, I felt extremely small, a little fish in a very bing pond.
How fortunate I was to be sat on one of the most famous yachts in the world, on an island most of the global population don’t know anything about, almost halfway through a once in a lifetime voyage. I’d always dreamt of “exploring the unexplored” and would throw myself into every opportunity I was given in the hopes of one day, having the opportunity to involve myself in a true expedition, the sort you’d see spearheaded by Steve Backshall or David Attenborough. Now, it was finally happening.
After supper, we set out again to take a walk around the harbour. Whilst we were below deck, an enormous cruise ship had docked just outside the entrance to the port. It was sad in a way, that such a naturally beautiful and spectacular country was being constantly inundated by thousands of tourists on what can only be described as floating towns. Granted, we were ‘tourists’ too, but I couldn’t help but think about how little people care about these small countries that are exploited and act as holiday destinations for a few months of the year and then forgotten when it comes to protection and legislation about their futures (especially relating to climatic changes).
We climbed rocky outcrops and scaled sea walls until we sat far above the glittering harbour below. The moon was high in the sky, casting a milky spotlight on the Faroe Islands. Soon, reality struck, and it came to our attention that although time seemed to stop up here, we had an early morning ahead so swiftly made our way back to the boat to prepare the necessary sails and other equipment for the final leg of our journey.
The Faroes are now high on my list of places to return to. We didn’t even scratch the surface of what this incredible location had to offer, and I hope that future visitors will respect the natural beauty and serenity, of these magical islands.