A remote (office) week

July 6th - July 9th    Brønnøysund - Tjøtta - Sandnessjøen 

The final work week before the official summer holiday was spent working daytime and some afternoon sail northwards. Monday however was spent in port. The northerlies was a little to strong for a pleasant sail. 

In the afternoon two square rigged traditional Norwegian boats arrived. The closest one is Fosen Folkehøgskoles 43 fot Åfjordsfembøring Skårungen. Åfjordsfembøring is the boat type. Thus it is a boat with the hull shape and riggingon boats built not only in Åfjord but for any boat built in Trøndelag. Sizewise its a fembøring which were the largest size of fishing vessel . Since the boat is mostly open as traditional norwegian boats used to be they have put up the covers to give protection to the crew for the night. There are a small removable wooden cover in the rear compartment but that is far too small for the entire crew to live and sleep in, thus the covers. Skårungen has no motor they travel by sails and oars only.

The furthest of the two boats is the 39 fot Nidaros. Nidaros is what's called a vengbåt which were used for transport of goods and dignitaries. Nidaros is built at Fosen Folkehødskole in 1997. On a vengbåt the  the rear compartment has a permanent cover (a venge). And the aftership is squared off giving more space in the rear compartment, probably to the cost of being harder to row.

On Tuesday the wind had subsided some and swinged more westerly (and favourably for the direction I wanted). So after work I casted off towards Tjøtta. Mostly motor but I got an hour of sailing at least.

When docking I got a reality check for doing it singlehandedly. I chose the lee side of the dock. Normally I lasso a rope from the midle of rear cleat of the boat around a cleat on the dock at the rear corner of the boat and controls the boat with the engine going forward until I have secured sufficient lines to stop the engine. If the dock has rings, that cannot be lassoed i use my hook and moor stick to tread the mooring line through the ring while on the boat. But at Tjøtta you tie to steel pipe railings that are to wide for the hook and moor. Therefore I had to go onto the dock to tie off without having full control over the boat. And I by mistake I didn't disengage the gear fully so there where some reverse thrust left. Before I was able to secure any lines the boat drifted away from the dock. I had thrown several lines onto the dock but only managed to grab one before the drifting boat drew them off. With quite some effort against the light wind and engine in reverse I managed to haul the boat back secure the line I had. Reach one of the other lines that where tied to a cleat further back on the boat and haul the boat alongside to the dock, secure and then "depanic". 

Wednesday afternoon I motored up to Sandnessjøen. Where I had thursday had a lazy harbour afternoon (that was supposed to be for boat work)