Sailing Polaris · video

What this video covers

The crew of the 2-meter-draft sailing vessel Polaris transits from Wale Firth through the complex, tide-dependent Yell Sound to reach Lerwick, Shetland.2:05 Timing the departure for a favorable tide at 12:00, the crew navigates the 41-nautical-mile passage while monitoring for tanker traffic via the Salsenboe VTS.3:39 Despite 12 to 15 knots of wind directly on the nose, the vessel maintains speed through the sound, where the crew spots orcas.4:41 Upon arrival in Lerwick, the crew coordinates with Lerwick Port Control to secure a berth at Victoria Pier, opting to raft alongside existing yachts.8:06 Subsequent land-based exploration includes a trip to the northernmost island of Unst to visit the Unst Heritage Center, the Unst Boathaven Museum, and Viking longhouse replicas.10:15 The crew also tours the Jarlshof prehistoric and Norse settlement on the southern tip of the Shetland mainland, noting the site's 4,000-year history and the nearby Sumburgh Head lighthouse.17:06

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