Question: We plan to go through the Strait of Belle Isle about July 1st. Is this practical given ice conditions? I have been told that a northeast wind can choke the Strait with ice at that time of year. I also have been told that ice is less likely on the Newfoundland side of the Strait.
John Harries
Q&A: Which Paper Charts For Iceland?
Reading Time: < 1 minutesQuestion: The cruising guide for Iceland contains a list of Icelandic charts. Comparing that with the US chart catalog, the Icelandic coverage is much more extensive. Is it practical to expect to purchase charts in Reykjavik for the remainder of our Icelandic sailing? Are they in stock? Reasonable cost? Or would you recommend that I order all the coverage I need from the US catalog and add a few detail charts on arrival as I see fit?
Read More
Free
Q&A: Polar Bears, How Serious Is The Risk?
Reading Time: < 1 minutesQuestion: How seriously do I need to take the threat of polar bears in the Arctic?
Read More
Free
Q&A: Circumnavigation Of Scandinavia Via The White Sea
Reading Time: < 1 minutesQuestion: Do you know if it’s possible to circumnavigate Scandinavia via Holland, the Baltic Sea, St. Petersburg, the Belomorsk Canal, the White Sea, the Norwegian Coast, returning to Holland?
Read More
Free
Q&A: Literature And Sailing Singlehanded On The East Coast Of Greenland
Reading Time: 2 minutesQuestion: I am planning to take my boat from North Donegal to the east coast of Greenland. I was planning to make landfall in the area of Kap Dan. My boat is a 38 foot Rival (fiberglass) and I was planning the out bound trip single handed. Could you suggest any literature on the east coast?
Read More
Free
Q&A: Crew Changes On The West Coast Of Greenland
Reading Time: < 1 minutesQuestion: What is your experience with changing crew in Greenland? Should we plan to go to the large airport at Kangerlussuaq (Sondre Stromfjord) to pick up new crew?
Read More
Free
Q&A: Which Paper Charts For Greenland?
Reading Time: < 1 minutesQuestion: What charts do you recommend for cruising Greenland? We have C-Map charts but they have insufficient coverage.
Read More
Free
Q&A: Newfoundland To Iceland Direct
Reading Time: < 1 minutesQuestion: Is heading from the Strait of Belle Isle towards a point about 200 miles south of Cape Farewell, then heading towards Reykjavik, a practical strategy given your experience with wind, weather and ice?
Read More
Free
Q&A: What Is The Middle Pack?
Reading Time: 2 minutesQuestion: I am planning a passage from Cartwright, Labrador to Disko Bay in Greenland leaving about July 1st. You wrote that I should watch out for the ‘Middle Pack’, please explain.
Read More
Free
Q&A: Newfoundland Via Greenland To The Azores
Reading Time: 2 minutesQuestion: We plan to sail from St. John’s, Newfoundland mid-June straight to Sisimiut, Greenland direct, if possible. From there spend July and August sailing slowly to Cape Farewell from where we plan to leave bound for the Azores. Any comments?
Read More
Free
Q&A: North Atlantic Circle Via Iceland
Reading Time: < 1 minutesQuestion: Next May we are taking our new (old) boat on a shakedown to Bermuda and back (our home port is Deltaville, VA, on the southern Chesapeake Bay). After that, we’ve been imagining a summer voyage in the Atlantic, maybe Azores-Ireland-Iceland-Canada-Chesapeake. My question is, is there a good route strategy for this trip?
Read More
Free
Q&A: Time Signals for Sextant
Reading Time: 2 minutesQuestion: Do you still do sights with a sextant? If so, where do you get the time signal from when underway? I found several shortwave frequencies for time signals on the web but the reception is extremely poor. In fact, I can’t get any useful exact time at all with my SSB receiver (Lowe HF-150 from the UK, built 1995), which otherwise works properly. I am sailing in the Med and I am a beginner with the sextant. Maybe you have some proven frequencies you could share with me?
Read More
Free
Q&A: Magnetic Compass
Reading Time: < 1 minutesQuestion: Do you use a magnetic compass to augment your navigation process?
Read More
Free
Q&A: Custom Log Book
Reading Time: < 1 minutes
Question: I read your article, “Knowing Where You Are“, in January’s Cruising World magazine and was wondering if I could see a copy of your custom log book page.
Read More
Free
Trident Two-stage Propane Regulator, Problems
Reading Time: 2 minutesThe Problem
After two days going to windward on the same tack, returning from Svalbard (Spitsbergen) to Norway, our bilge gas alarm went off. We searched everywhere for the source to no avail until I opened the gas bottle locker to a very strong smell of propane.
Read More
Free