67:21.1N 37:35.7W

 

Greenland is spectacular , with high tone mountains emerging from a wreathing and writhing bank of fog , but defended by castellated ridges of pack ice  with occasional garriisons of bigger bergs. yes we have had to bite the bitter taste of  defeat after probing the pack for the last thirty six hours. yes we turned around and are now heading back to North west iceland where we should be sheltering by Friday.  we are not alone as a french yacht is following in Umiaks wake. we exchanged pleasantries at a humpbacks length, we know that , as one social specimen surfaced between us precisely at the instant of rendez vous.  yes mixed feelings from the crew but all feel hugely disappointed for Mike who has been planning this trip for the last two years and physically preparing the boat for the last three months.

The marrow freezing cold has been relentlessly infiltrating the layers of quilt fleece and  merino but briefly its progress was halted by an excellent curry from John last night aided by Mrs Patak.

The natural history of Greenland is limited to the Beomoths , the humpbacks and the  Lilliputs , the fulmars .  it has been pleasing and reassuring to see the numbers of whales, either geysering 20ft high spouts of vapour , or even broaching in playful display.

we are speeding southeasterly now under no 3 genoa and full main the horizon punctured by massive ice mountans , well worth avoiding and no doubt in 3 days time the bandwidth of the internet will be saturated as we pick up a 4g signal.

hopefully another update will be written in mid Denmark strait.