Silda to Ålesund

We left Silda in very light winds and, having rounded the island, we headed towards northwest towards Statt. As mentioned in the previous post, this peninsula with its shoal waters west and north is renowned as a dangerous stretch of sea. Its western flank runs north before cutting back eastward and, with different weather systems pushing waves south from the north and north from the south, it makes for a chaotic convergence and a very messy bit of water. This is only amplified by the sudden shoaling all around the Cape and by the fact that its high peaks make their own weather to squeeze into the mix..

We passed in very benign conditions, just 2-3m waves and 12kts on the nose (of course), but the swell and waves were coming from at least two directions, often more, and at such short intervals that it felt like we were in a washing machine. Motoring against the current, wind and some of the waves we could only manage a bit over 4kts and so it took us a long morning to round Statt. I am guessing that Norwegian seafarers have shanties about ’rounding of Statt’.

It wasn’t comfortable but, my goodness, it was impressive. Huge cliffs towering over seas that heave over skerries and pummel islands, and rocky shorelines that clamber back up to the mist shrouded heights. A couple of big bays, strewn with rocks and islands, break the peninsula and huddled in their deepest reaches are the tidy little hamlets and farms that are so characteristic of Norway. In other spots a tiny sea level ledge with a couple of steep acres of grass, squeezed between cliff and sea, accommodates a farm accessible only by sea and then, only when the sea permits it. What is it about one’s country and fellow citizens that would drive someone to choose to set up a life in such a precarious position? I understand the desire for solitude and grandeur, but so extreme?.

It was off Statt that we began to see a bit of sea life. Puffins (in winter and summer plumage), cormorants, terns, fulmars. Not many but we saw some.

After Statt, our course turned back into the fjords and leads and with wind and motor when necessary we were able to make a long but relatively easy passage to Ålesund arriving at about 2000. There were no free berths in the outer harbour and at first it looked like the inner harbour wasn’t going to be an option either, until the good folk on SV Maribell came out and beckoned us over to raft up alongside them. We had already considered this as an option but their beautiful wooden boat had just looked too nice to tie up to. But they were happy for us to do so and so we did.