Sailing Florencevideo
Why we left the Arctic | Sailing Florence Ep.225
20 February 2026 · 33 min · 47K views · Bolga
Crew sails Florence through open water under full canvas
What this video covers
Amy and Matt sail their Oyster Marine 37 Florence south along the Arctic Norwegian coast, covering roughly 650 miles from Svalbard toward Ålesund as their Schengen visas approach expiry and the short Arctic summer deteriorates in August.0:23 The primary reason for leaving the Arctic is the visa deadline, not the weather alone, though three weeks of near-continuous rain and strengthening southerly gales accelerate the decision.8:05 They navigate the inshore island channels, which eliminate ocean swell and provide sheltered anchorages every 10–15 miles, but demand constant attention to rocks, shipping traffic, and wind shifts between islands.5:15 At Bolga, a guest pontoon offers water, electricity, and showers for £15 a night.1:30 When a northerly gale is forecast, they anchor in a fully enclosed natural harbour on a mud bottom, preferring their own anchor over unknown mooring buoys.13:23 Navigation through rock-strewn inshore channels is manageable with modern charts and GPS, with many charted rocks lying 33–40 metres deep.28:12 They stop at Torghattan to walk through its 160-metre natural tunnel.23:51 Matt notes the Norwegian inshore route is among the best cruising grounds they have encountered worldwide, with the Schengen limit — not conditions — being the binding constraint on time spent there.16:48
Boats in this video
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