Sailing Polaris · video

What this video covers

The crew of the 51-foot sailing vessel Polaris navigates the Lofoten Islands in northern Norway, managing tidal currents and harbor availability. After departing Stammsund, the crew encounters orcas near Nusfjord before finding the harbor full and diverting to Reine.1:11 While anchored in Reine, the crew experiences significant stern slap from swell and wind, noting that orienting the bow into the wind would have improved comfort.8:29 The passage continues to Henningsvær to await a weather window for transiting the Gimsøystraumen, a narrow sound with strong tidal currents.9:26 The crew times their transit to coincide with the north-going stream, which flows from approximately two hours before high water until four and a half hours after.12:30 They successfully pass under the 30-meter Gimsøysund Bridge, noting significant turbulence and back eddies caused by the rough seabed.15:37 Finally, the crew reaches the remote anchorage at Gaukværøya, where they struggle to find holding in kelp and rock before successfully setting the anchor in a sandy patch outside the primary mooring area.19:51

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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