Position : Isbjoernhamna 77°00 N- 15°33 E
On Saturday, July 27th, we hoist the sails for Hornsund under a bright sun and a southwest wind force 5, allowing us to make good tacks and admire the east coast of Spitsbergen until Sunday morning. Then the wind weakens while a thick fog appears, preventing us from seeing Soerkapp but not the many whales that come to tease Libertaire! After 220 miles of sailing, the growlers of Horsund appear, and we anchor on the south coast of the fjord at Gaashamna in the early morning.
A few hours of sleep later, we set off to discover the multiple whale bones lying in the bay as well as the remnants of this old whaling station. Then we venture onto the Gaasbreen glacier, joined by the sun. On the way back, numerous streams prevent us from reaching the dinghy, and we end up crossing them barefoot and bare-legged, the icy water up to our thighs!
On Tuesday morning, we are awakened by strong waves, forcing us to shelter a few hundred meters away. Indeed, the east wind has risen, and as described in the Norwegian Sailing Instructions, the fjord's configuration significantly increases its strength. After a few hours watching the gusts and growlers, we notice that despite its 60 kg anchor, Libertaire is dragging.
We hurry to set sail. The jib alone is enough to reach the north coast of the fjord and the better-protected anchorage of Kamavika. The landscape is magnificent, the sun enhances the many glaciers, and the waves crash on the icebergs.
The next day, we set off to hike towards the Hansbreen glacier, which has been calving all night. In the late afternoon, we make a few tacks, slaloming between growlers to reach an anchorage at the end of Horsund. As we approach the bay, the engine starts coughing... We hastily anchor at Treskelbukta. After some thought, Damien finds the problem: the engine's turbo has given up.
On Thursday, after a rainy day, we decide to try our luck at the Polish scientific station located at the entrance of the fjord and set off for Ibjoernhamna, where we arrive for dinner.
The next day, we head to the station in search of a mechanic... The welcome is as warm as can be, and after a tour of the base and a delicious Polish lunch, two friendly mechanics come aboard to assess the situation. The turbo is indeed broken, and upon disassembling the part, we understand why: the elbow of the exchanger's outlet is completely "rotten" inside (electrolysis, rust, etc.), and seawater passing through the hole reached the turbo and caused significant damage.
On Friday evening, we are invited to share a barbecue evening, what a pleasure to enjoy delicious grilled food! It's a party, vodka flows freely!
On Saturday, while the mechanics dedicate their free time to repairing the part, we set off for a final hike on Spitsbergen before returning to the boat to prepare for the long crossing to Jan Mayen that awaits us.
This morning, the efforts of our Polish experts have been fruitful, the engine runs smoothly again, and we have just set sail downwind with an ideal east wind.
However, these repairs do not allow us to use the engine at full power for long periods, and consequently, the stopover in Greenland, which requires engine navigation alone to cross the pack ice, is not reasonable, and we will head to Iceland after Jan Mayen for definitive repairs. This will give us a reason to return to the area...