Hi all,
I wrote about the new updated CCA guide to Newfoundland a while back.
I now have in my hands the just-off-the-presses “CCA Essential Passage Guide to The Viking Route.”
When I did this route back in 2017, I went from Scotland (The Outer Hebrides) to the Faroe Islands to Iceland to Greenland fetching up in Newfoundland. We did the trip in cruising mode to enjoy these wonderful cruising grounds taking most of the season to enjoy the passage and the islands.
A major reason for choosing this route was that no passage was more than 700+ miles allowing for good weather for most of each passage. Another big factor was that the usual route back to North America is just really long; south to the African coast, across to the Caribbean, and then north a long ways to North America and the route (and its destination points) held little appeal. Even more compelling was our wish to end up in the Canadian Maritimes, Newfoundland.
Another reason was our wish to visit the Faroe Islands and Greenland: Iceland we were pretty sure we would fly to someday, but we were not so sure about the others.
So, what does the guide offer:
Firstly, it is a passage guide for those thinking about the trip: east to west or west to east.
Essential is a strong word to use in the title, but I know we planned for 2 years for our passage. With this guide, I estimate our prep time would have been cut at least in half or probably more. And we would have had far more confidence that our decisions were wise and that we had not missed something as we were “making it up as we went along.”
And this guide is not just for those wanting to do the Viking Route. Some go to Bermuda as a seasonal cruise, but there is no reason not to think of a similar (shorter) jump from Newfoundland to the SW coast of Greenland: the most accessible area of Greenland. Or, from the other direction, the Faroe Islands are about as exotic and isolated as they come, while being only an overnight sail from Scotland.
There are also extensive discussions on sailing around ice as well as sailing in really cold water: the latter of interest to any skippers who push the seasons a bit. And specialized gear that might be advised.
I would suggest that the Faroes and Iceland are adventurous sailing, while Greenland approaches expedition level sailing.
For example, my most anxious 24 hours of sailing by far started just after leaving Greenland for Newfoundland on a beautiful clear sunny morning. By mid-morning, the fog had settled in giving a 2-3 boat length visibility. There were icebergs thickly around and thinning out till 70 nm offshore. Then the sun set and visibility decreased even more. There was little more appreciated than the sun rising the next morning with no iceberg in sight.
When it is good, it is really really good, but when it is bad, it is horrid.
Clearly, we made it, but I am unclear how much of my luck reservoir I used up that day.
This Passage Guide also has a ton of wonderful pictures.
My best, Dick Stevenson