Inspirational winter passage by Erik Aanderaa, a true latter-day Viking, sailing his Contessa 35 Tessie from Haugasund in Norway to the three-day Up Helly Aa winter Viking festival at Lerwick in Shetland (in 30 hrs!) on 29 January this year. In temperatures are around 1ºC Erik gets onto the foredeck (sans harness tut-tut) to tell us about the condition of the sleet and hail he’s sailing through, at speeds of nine to ten knots:

“We are just pounding and sliding through the waves, it’s an amazing experience, amazing. I can’t believe I am in the middle of the North Sea at the end of January in Gale Force in these waves. You can’t see nothing it’s just completely dark here but the rain blowing in your face – hitting you hard!

“It’s tough out here in the North Sea in Wintertime it’s no joke; it’s serious tough. I know who’s the boss out here… And it ain’t me that’s for sure!”

Watch it now:

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Erik left Tessie in Shetland ready to cruise on to the Faroes in April – which should be another treat for fans of his videos.

Erik’s You Tube Channel is:  HERE

He has a patron giving page here: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=314665…