Rowboat

Kjartans Jakobs Haukssonar came by today to pick up his boat. If you live here then you already know that he is trying to be the first person to row all the way around the coast of Iceland solo, without landing to rest.

He left from Reykjavik on August 27th - heading clockwise around the island to take advantage of the currants. On September 7th, he ran into some unexpectedly rough weather.

Kjartan found some shelter in a bay, where he put out his anchor and tried to ride it out. This worked for a while then the wind and waves broke the shackle on his anchor chain, and he began to drift towards shore. Taking to the oars, he tried to get back out to sea, but wooden oar after oar broke as he rowed against the strong wind. Although he had two emergency beacons, Kjartan decided not to use them, preferring to continue fighting to save his small boat, and judging from experience that there was enough of a margin of safety.

After all four of his oars were broken there was little he could do to keep his boat off the coast. It foundered, then capsized. He and the boat rolled in the surf, both taking a beating. Fortunately, he managed to grab his communication gear before swimming to safety.

Kjartan was later picked up on shore by a rescue team, but there was no sign of
the small rowboat. Days later, we found it by accident - further out to sea and around the coast then when he had last seen it. We retrieved it, which is the normal thing to do under standard maritime practice, and returned it to him here in Akureyri.

Although it didn't sink, the little foam, fibreglass and plastic boat is pretty beat up, and will probably never sail again. As for Kjartan, he is undeterred by the mishap, and already building a second boat. Next year he plans to leave in June when the weather is generally better. His goal will be the same as this year - circumnavigate Iceland in about six weeks time.

This is all being done to benefit Sjalfsbjorg, the association of disabled in Iceland, and you can read more on their site (mostly in Icelandic, but some English pages).

We wish him fair weather, and safe sailing for his next attempt.

-- Andrew