Yachting Monthly - April 2016

APRIL 2016 http://www.yachtingmonthly.com 43

ADVENTURE

Greenland, winter has lasted later
than for the previous 47 years’.
Tremendous potential for climbing
beckoned us all round, so despite
the cold, the lads made some
first ascents nearby, two of which
were of a high standard and, 30
miles south, we reconnoitred an
impressive-looking mountain ridge.
In the fjord below the ridge, we
put our anchor down to leeward of
an island. All seemed well though
I knew it was probably on rock and these
fjords can make their own weather. I
woke at 0500 to find the wind had gone
completely round. We were facing in the
opposite direction. The wind was strong
and our stern was close to the rocky island.
Somehow the anchor was holding and we
were not drifting back. The crew were all
sleeping peacefully and I was loath to
wake them as I didn’t want to shift the
anchor in such wind when we were stable,

so I kept an anxious anchor watch myself.

When it was time to leave, in case the

anchor had become wedged under a rock

and would not come out, we motored over

the top of it and it broke out cleanly. A

merciful deliverance.

Later, having dropped the crew ashore

to go climbing, I found a picturesque

anchorage in sand further south. Here,

we could hook out cod on a line every

few minutes and, over the brow of the

enclosing arm, there was an

intriguing inland fresh water

lochan, undisturbed by tide and

still covered with ice. On the way

back to Maniitsoq we discovered

another enclosed haven off the

channel. We were shaken from

our reverie by a loud bang and

grinding noise echoing through

Dodo’s Delight’s hull. The depth

had gone from 4m to impact in

a split second. We had found an

uncharted rock.

Much of the planning for the expedition

had gone into working out crew logistics.

The rest of crew were now due to join

us and we sailed into Maniitsoq to meet

Mark and Rob. Later in the voyage we

would say goodbye to Rob in Nuuk but

gain Martin in his place. Amazingly, all

the changeovers worked without a glitch

and each of the crew made their

own unique contribution to the trip.

The skipper took to cod fishing while the crew were climbing