CLOTHING AND GEAR
Yes, it’s the Arctic and getting there can be
brutally cold at sea so be kind to yourself,
bring plenty of layers but bear in mind that it
can be relatively warm ashore. My
preference is to start with Merino wool next
to the skin and work outwards with good
quality fleeces and windproof outers. Pay
particular attention to headgear, balaclavas
to protect face and nose and make sure to
cover your neck. It’s hard to beat a nice big
woolly buff.
Choose bigger boots than usual so you
can wear several pairs of socks, and get the
best available. Hands are a problem as it
may be difficult to do some jobs wearing
gloves but fingers will get painfully cold in
seconds. Fingerless mitts may be part of the
answer and fleece-lined fishermen’s gloves
do a great job of keeping the hands warm
and dry. All sorts of hand-warmers are
available and I strongly recommend you
bring plenty with you. Once ashore it can be
seriously warm so T-shirts and shorts will
often do, but beware of the mosquitoes and
black flies. I have a head-to-toe mosquito
netting suit which works well and be sure to
carry stocks of antihistamine ointment. Don’t
forget insect sprays for the boat and have
nets ready to cover your hatches.STORES AND FUEL
For a long passage in Arctic waters, a deep
freeze on board makes sense with meals
prepared at home and kept frozen for whenneeded. However, I suggest you top up with
fresh provisions on the way when possible.
Generally speaking, supermarkets in
Norway, Iceland and Greenland will be more
expensive than back home but with tinned
food as the alternative, the expense is
justified. The golden rule is to make a plan,
work out your meals and stock up in your
local supermarket before departure. The
initial cost can be frightening but when you
work it out, feeding a crew over a period of
weeks it is cost-effective. Bake your bread
fresh – there’s nothing quite so homely as
the smell of a loaf coming out of the oven
but be warned, it will disappear in no time
once a hungry crew gets a whiff of it.
Food for warmth and energy is essential
but there may be times when cooking will be
difficult. A rising wind, big seas and
somebody feeling sick can present a real
hazard. Energy levels drain fast and that can
lead to dangerous conditions on deck.
Packet soups can be heated quickly but
have little nutritional value so have some
quick to cook pasta ready, add a little oil, use
a vegetable- based sauce (meat can be hard
to digest) and insist that everyone eats
something. Morale and efficiency sag rapidly
when people are cold and hungry.
The rules about what kind of diesel you
can bring are changing so you should keep
up to date with guidance in the yachting
press. In the past I have carried as much red
diesel as stowage permits and never had a
problem with the authorities but who knows
what will happen after Brexit?
Major ports will probably have fuelling
docks that are available to leisure boaters
but be sure to check with the harbour master
in advance and check on the internet to see
what kind of debit or credit card you will
need as most pumps are automated and will
not take cash.STAYING IN TOUCH
I have found that a Satphone backed up with
someone at home keeping an eye onweather systems developing in your sea
area makes for an ideal combination. Ice
conditions change, sometimes rapidly, so
careful study of the relevant ice charts is
needed. Detailed descriptions and expert
advice is available in Arctic and Northern
Waters Pilot along with its equivalent
publication for Svalbard and the Norwegian
coast. A recent bit of kit is the InReach
receiver and transmitter – much cheaper
than the Satphone and does a similar job.UNDERSTANDING ICE CONDITIONS
AND HOW TO COPE
This is an area of endless debate amongst
those who sail in ice-encumbered waters so
I offer my thoughts on a personal basis –
others may disagree. Firstly bergs; myRefuelling at
Town Quay in
GreenlandAn iceberg emerging
from the fogMosquito bites are
a regular problemEXPERT ON BOARD
This iceberg collapsed right
next to our anchored boat