Sailing Polarisvideo

#75 | Arctic Sailing Adventure: Our First Voyage of the Season to Hammerfest & Beyond

26 July 2025 · 25 min · 3K views

What this video covers

Polaris, a cruising sailboat, transits the Norwegian coast from Sjervøy to Hammerfest and Honningsvåg in late May and early June. The crew navigates narrow sounds including Magerøysund and Masøysund, frequently contending with adverse tidal currents despite planning departures around high water. In Bergsfjorden, a blocked toilet tank drain caused a sewage spill in the bilges, which the crew resolved without long-term damage. While traveling between Honningsvåg and Hammerfest, the crew avoids a bridge with 23-meter clearance due to the boat's 22-meter mast height, opting for a longer route. They monitor the gearbox oil for potential water intrusion and utilize the Barentswatch website to identify king crab pot locations. The voyage involves long motoring stretches due to light winds and the need to reach Tromsø by mid-June to prepare for a Svalbard expedition. The crew also hikes the 1,000-step North Cape Trappen to Storfjellet. Accurate tidal planning in these fjords remains difficult, as local currents often contradict general flow predictions.

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More from Sailing Polaris

A New Way to Navigate? Installing Orca on Our Sailboat | Ep. 97Sept 2026We Couldn’t Leave This Arctic Island – Sailing Norway’s Træna Archipelago | Ep. 96Sept 2026How a Tiny Norwegian Island Celebrates Norway’s Biggest Day – Bolga | Ep. 95Aug 2026We Found Norway’s Hidden Harbour (After Our Original Plan Failed) | Ep. 94Aug 2026

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