07/08/15 LN875
It has been an interesting 24 hours.
Yesterday afternoon we were sailing at speeds up to 9 knots! Where was that wind during the races? We had the fore course, topsail and t’gallant and the main topsail and t’gallant set, as well as the outer jib and, for some time, the spanker. We had already moved our arrival time in Rosendal forward by a day and were still ahead of schedule, so Captain Chris decided that we would anchor for the night. After a quiet night at anchor we headed up Hardangerfjord. The scenery was beautiful, with steep mountain slopes plunging into the water. The low-hanging clouds made it all very atmospheric. Maybe we now understand a bit better, why one would set out in open-topped boats to raid softer lands…
Rosendal itself is a very pretty village with stunning snow-capped mountains as a back-drop. Since we came alongside this afternoon the rain has stopped and the sun is breaking through, giving us the opportunity to sit on deck and enjoy the scenery. We are hopeful that the weather will continue to improve for our excursions tomorrow.
JC
