Arthur arrives in Tasiilaq, on the east coast of Greenland, at the end of July. The boat's starter problem was quickly solved with the help of the sailboat La V'limeuse. Arthur then set off for a month's peregrination in the direction of Cape Farvel, at the mercy of ice and wind. Here's a look back at the conditions of this extraordinary voyage.
On the climate front
From the end of July to the end of August, we only had two days of rain. One on arrival in Tasiilaq, the other on arrival in Nanortalik. The rest of the time, we enjoyed mostly blue skies and sunshine, with periodic bouts of dense fog and a few scattered clouds.
Temperatures still remained positive. In the fog, at around 2 degrees, saturated with humidity, the cold was stinging. In the sun, we counted 10 degrees in the shade, and around 15 in the sun. On one sunny day, we even had close to 20 degrees.
In these conditions, we didn't need any special equipment for the cold. A fleece and a windbreaker were enough at anchor. A large hat, thermal underwear and warm, waterproof gloves are all you need for sailing outdoors.
On the boat, we rarely had continuous heating. An hour or two on the stove in the morning and evening was usually enough to keep us warm. During the day, the sun helped to raise the temperature sufficiently inside. But don't be too demanding, and make do with 15 to 18 degrees.
Wind conditions
We had very little wind on the east coast of Greenland. We often had to sail with sails and engine, or simply motor. A good supply of diesel is essential, as refuelling points are a long way east.
Near the coast, the wind hardly exceeded 5 to 8 knots. To find 10 to 12 knots of wind, you had to sail several dozen miles from land. In the fjords, the wind was very unpredictable, never exceeding 15 knots. However, you should always be wary of katabatic winds coming down from the mountains, and keep an eye on the forecasts for the ice cap.
We only found wind again to the south of Greenland. As we left Christian Sound, 40 knots were waiting for us near the coast as we headed for Nanortalik, and around 30 in some of the surrounding fjords.
Tidal range and currents
The light wind was offset on the east coast by a north-south current of up to one-and-a-half knots. As the fjords are sometimes veritable labyrinths, it's often difficult to predict which way the current will flow.
The tidal range, meanwhile, is fairly random, depending on the location. It is significant, however, and can be as high as three meters.
