of adjectives (dynamic, changeable, volatile, surprising, unstable, mixed-up). Turned in at end my watch 0200 with calm sea, clear sky (but no stars too much light post-sunset/pre-sunrise at 63 degrees North) and a sliver of a moon. Arose at 0600 after some rain and now with fog shrouding the mountains, coast and islands. An hour later fog lifts, sun comes out and by unanimous vote the island we had decided to bypass looked too tempting to missa video game developers vision of fantasy islands. Threaded our way toward harbor entrance, called harbour master for permission to land for an hour, and tied up. An hour later after coffee, scones and fresh bread purchase at bakery, we departed. Big fishing port, with shipyard, fish plants, offices, storage tanks, ferry dock; a large part of town got buried in 1973 volcano eruption. Brown cindery cone of volcano looms above town. Flocks of fulmars, puffins, gullsa few gannets and guilimots. The fantastic steep cliffs covered with guano from the nesting sitesand again sheep grazing on seemingly near vertical slopes. Vestmannaeyjar is among a cluster of volcanic islands and rocks extending over 15 miles, now behind us to port. To starboard are volcanoes and rounder snow covered mountains of the south coast. Were taking advantage of an expected wind shift later today to get us around to Reykjavik by sometime tomorrow. A side note: Icelandic officialdom requires incoming traffic to notify search and rescue ahead by radio or email with info on destination, how many aboard, passports, etc. Got immediate response to my email from SAR, then customs sent documents to download. Impressive!

Tomorrow morning Bill Scott is to arrive here from Nova Scotia via Toronto. Today is another day of brisk north winds (a local says it can go on for days), but mostly sunny and very clear with mountains visible for miles. Walked the town yesterday and happened upon an organ recital at the big modern cathedral. We acquired a 600-ft coil of 5/8 polypropylene line from the Belgian boat for when anchoring to also tie to shore. Doing other small tasks to be ready, and also how to accommodate 3 people in a boat built for two. A Dutch boat just arrived from Svalbard 1000 miles north, heading next to Faeroes. Two 21m expedition yachts have been here for several days, hoping to go to Scoresby Sound, well up the Greenland coast, but now are replanning as its blocked with ice. A 70 ft British military expedition yacht tried last week and returned unsuccessful. We are hoping to depart late tomorrow after swells moderate some from their current 3-3.5mand make for Prins Christian Sund, a passage through the mountains just above the southern tip of Greenland. Hopefully attached below is an example of our weather routing model, showing 6 very different courses. As our advisor says, though, any forecast beyond 3 days is very speculative, so en route well be updating a few times a day, and getting guidance from him every day by email.

Bill arrived aboard at noon. After laundry, last shopping, filling water tanks, last preparations, and a dinner aboard with fish cakeswe departed Reykjavik at 8pm. Various cruise, cargo and fishing traffic, then empty ocean. Great view of shore, with very prominent volcano cone receding in distance. Wind on the beam, we bowled along at 7 knots and low revs on engine. Steep seas due to 15 knots of wind blowing south versus 1 to even 2 knots of current flowing north. For first 8 hours heeled at 15 degrees, and up to 30. Decided on 4 hour watches

This morning the wind diminished to 5 knots and the sea flattened out. With wind behind at same speed as the boat was motoring, and not much swell running (<1m) the sails werent needed even for damping our rolling, so furled them. Sunny enough that Bill sat out in the cockpit enjoying the scene and warmthuntil it soon clouded over. Calm enough for Gunnar to start preparing a fish ball soup. Gradually the NE wind went around to E and then SE, building as it shifted but giving us a great beam reach. We even set the genoa. Butduring the afternoon the SE wind increased and seas built up from the south, giving us a very lively motion, so at 1700 we furled the genoa, and reduced speed to make cooking somewhat easier. At 2100 we reeled in half of the mainsail, and now at 2330 we are rolling between 0 and 25 degrees to starboard, seas are busy, spray is flying. Gunnar earlier had said the boat was like a train on a track, moving ever forward. Now Id say its a train that climbs a 2 meter slope every 6-7 seconds, and dives down the backside. No ships, a couple fulmars. Grey skies, some rain. 52 hours into what should be a bit more than a five day passage. Yesterday was our second best days run 134 miles. (Best was 140 when crossing the Bay of Biscay in 2015,)