Position : Pescheloeya 79°00 N - 20°53 E
Taking into account the advice of Tommy and Ulrika, we set course on Sunday late morning for Faksevaagen, a bay located in the west of Lomfjorden and 30 miles away. A north wind of about twenty knots is welcome to descend the Hinlopenstretet but brings us thick fog, and it is only 5 miles from arrival that we discover the magnificent landscape formed by the front of a huge glacier plunging into the sea as far as the eye can see. We anchor at the bottom of the bay where ochre cliffs and green hills have replaced the blue-white of the ice. The north swell manages to turn the point of Faksebu and makes life on board rather uncomfortable...
The next morning, the wind and chop are still very present, preventing us from landing. We take the opportunity for a check-up of Libertaire's interior and some cleaning. In the late afternoon, the weather conditions improve, and we set off for a climb of the cliffs north of the anchorage. The view from the summits is magnificent when the clouds decide to pass... 5 hours later we return to the boat and enjoy a nice hot shower with water collected from the high-altitude streams. This allows us to save the boat's water (300 liters must last us 2 months...).
On Tuesday, we head south again, still taking advantage of the well-established north breeze. The route takes us near the cliffs of Alkefjellet where hundreds of thousands of guillemots nest. This half-hour of sailing among the birds enchants us. After 6 hours of sailing, we anchor the old-fashioned way (under sail) in a bay southeast of Van Otteroya Island due to a diesel supply problem. A small hour of nighttime tinkering allows us to solve the issue and hear the reassuring sound of Nanni again...
On July 17th, in splendid weather, we set out to explore this gently sloping island from end to end, enjoying an unbeatable view of the east coast of Spitzberg. After about fifteen kilometers among the rocks, we are exhausted and happy to return to the boat for a good meal.
The next day, the sun is still very present, but it is calm, and we set off under engine for the anchorage of Binnevika on Wilhelmoeya Island. We have lunch "on the terrace" and then go ashore for a sporty hike: the ascent through the scree is quite steep, and it takes us a few hours to reach the plateau at the top. We discover a magnificent panorama that we share with a not-so-shy female ptarmigan who seems to be discovering the human species... This anchorage is a true favorite given the variety of landscapes offered to us.
This morning, we have breakfast in the sun and take advantage of the favorable current to cross Bjornsundet in the fog. We are anchored tonight on the small island of Pescheloeya, populated by numerous bird colonies (terns, kittiwakes, eiders, skuas...), and await an east wind forecasted for tomorrow to continue towards Freemansundet.