After staying up until 2 a.m. playing Rummikub with the crew, our 7:30 a.m. wake-up felt heavier than usual. But this dissipated rapidly as we got our gear on and went on the dinghy to the harbor, so we could row Naddoddur back to the boathouse. Georg constantly directs the crew’s attention to situational awareness and preemptive problem-solving, so that when any situation arises, we’re not disorganized and clumsy in handling it. “We’re about to reach the dock. What do we need to think about? Is there enough space for us to row? Which way is the wind blowing? What’s our plan, and what can you do to prepare?” It’s a good quality in a leader to constantly look ahead to predict and prepare.
Evidently, our rows have been quite successful, as Ernst came by on his own boat and congratulated us on our rowing. “I have nothing to say about the rowing. It was perfect.”
In the afternoon, we had the pleasure of taking Naddoddur out for a short trip with Ernst on board to test out the storm sail. It’s shaped in the traditional Faroese style, asymmetrically, to catch the wind effectively.
While on the boat, Ernst did some complicated knot-work in tying one line to the other for some reason or another. When Georg spotted it, he exclaimed at Saeny for having tied two lines together without being instructed to do so, thinking she was the one who did it. She laughed hard and said, “I didn’t do that. I wouldn’t even be able to do that even if I wanted to. I wouldn’t even be able to come up with the idea to do that!” She and I are still learning sailing knots, so it really made me laugh.
After we got back to the boathouse, I took a much-needed nap, and suddenly Ernst barged in and loudly and sharply called us to a meeting. “Listen to me! I want to have a meeting with you, you, you, and you. Now.” So with some concern, we went downstairs, and Ernst went into discussing the conclusions he’d reached about what went wrong and what went right with the storm sail. He seems to have been mulling it over for hours, and we had a meeting for about twenty minutes, with Ernst showing us a model of the Faroese sails to demonstrate what we needed to do. He’s a tough man with a big heart, a practical mind, and ever-thoughtful eyes.
Then he took Saeny, Red, and me to a grocery store to buy some extra food for the voyage. Every store we go into, people recognize us and wish us a good voyage. There has been a lot of press coverage of our voyage, so it feels funny to be a little famous in the Faroe Islands.
On the way back, Ernst took us to a sea cliff in a fishing village where the women would operate a manual winch to haul up ships from the sea. The fog sat low on the vivid green cliffs, with waterfalls running down the sides. It was beautiful.
Then our evening ended at the house of Hans Pauli and Anita, who so graciously invited us to their home for cakes and a full table of charcuterie with Faroese cheese, Faroese sheep sausage, grapes, and other such delightful snacks. We talked for hours in warm coziness and ended the evening by watching a video of one of the voyages of Naddoddur from almost 30 years ago.
Being a part of this expedition has provided an opportunity for us all to reflect on the significance of our histories and to be a part of bringing this seafaring culture of the Faroe Islands into the future. That is the ultimate honor as an explorer: to contribute to the cumulative knowledge of our planet.
I leave you now with more Viking wisdom, which was coincidentally emphasized by Ernst recently when he told me, “You don’t have to be strong here,” and he pointed to his arms, “but here,” as he pointed to his head.
This quote from the Hávamál echoes this advice from Ernst almost exactly: “A wise man does not rely on strength, but on wisdom.”
As we finish preparations for the voyage, bide our time carefully before casting off, and discuss and practice protocols for emergency situations, this quote feels apt to the circumstances.
The next will be the last blog post before we cast off for Norway, pending weather conditions.
Your Loyal Viking Archaeologist and Official Stowaway,
Karla