Beer + Laundry = The Best Cafe In Iceland! | #81 | DrakeParagon Sailing Season 5
Previously on DrakeParagon We are just heading into Reykjavík in Iceland. It's been a hellish trip. 45 knots.
Up to 48 were the highest that I saw. So what does it say about Reykjavík and berthing? Let’s go get a drink. From Greenland to Iceland! Cheers! Here's to life guys! ♫ Music ♫ ♫ Music ♫ So it’s the 7th of September and we are in Reykjavík, Iceland. We’re going to the hot springs tomorrow but today we’re kind of finishing up some things for our push off date.
We’re preparing thing and changing the oil and doing laundry and there is this crazy, insane gale that has blown in. It started off a little breezy this morning. Wind increased about to about 20 knots, 25. Now it’s at like 30-35 and I need to go check on the laundry.
[ Loud wind ] So there’s this insane wind. that is just pushing all of the boats. Kind of crazy. There are white caps.
And the wall here… every once in a while a wave will totally hit it like BWOOSH! Fly over. I’m so glad we’re not out on the boat. That we’re safely tied up and just kind of chilling out here. This would not be a fun day to be out anywhere.
We’re actually at high tide right now also. It actually goes down 4…5 metres. 15 or more feet.
This gang plank gets to be what feels like almost like a 40 - 45 degree angle. We’re behind the Harpa Concert Hall which is over there. Which is really beautiful and when it’s sunny all of those multi-coloured glass tiles reflect rainbows into the water, but today’s just kind of insane.
I can’t believe that there are people fishing. This is one of the markers to come into the harbour. Man, look at that water out there. Water keeps splashing up over the wall here. I’m gonna go check on the laundry. I forgot to put something in.
It just started a little while ago so… They have a building with very fast wifi. They have a computer inside that you can use but the wifi actually spreads to the boat. And I don’t even need an antenna to pick it up so that makes it nice. And then on the side they have laundry and the laundry is free! It’s included, so we have been washing pretty much everything that we possibly can So… throw that open. It’s probably gonna fog up the camera, but… Two washing machines. One dryer.
This is the last of it. I think we’ve done 6 or 7 loads of laundry. The fact that the laundry is included really makes up for the fact that it was $20 a load in Greenland.
It was $60 for three loads of laundry. The first one I did myself because I thought if you did it yourself that it would be cheaper. But it wasn’t so I just wasted an entire day.
And she’s like “Oh cool… this girl’s gonna do my job for me.” That was good to know. All right. Closing the door.
Bracing it. Cause that would be absolutely amazing if it flew open and whacked me in the face. Man, look at those clouds coming in, eh? I’m actually glad that we didn’t go out to the hot springs today. It’s fun to go to the hot springs when it’s snowing and cold but… [ wind howling ] but this this might be a little much.
It’s a little windy out here. And you can see [ wind howling ] the boats are getting rubbed around a lot. Actually gonna come up here on the top of the of the marina so hopefully I don’t get splashed by the water but I wanted to see it out here.
Look at that. All the clouds have moved in. There’s a really beautiful mountain over there when it’s sunny. You can’t really see it now. I feel like those weather channel guys that come out and are standing there in the middle of a hurricane going like “Well, it’s a little windy out here right now. “
So I have to go back and sew up a bag that needs repairing. Drake just finished an oil change. We need to switch out the propane and then we’re gonna maybe try to make a run up to the grocery store tonight. Drake…OH! Awww man! Yea, I just got wet. [ laughs ] I’m gonna get down off of here Awww… I think I’m gonna get back on the boat and… maybe I can wash this.
Like I said it’s a little windy out here so I’m gonna go change into some dry clothes and then finish up here and then head out for a much deserved drink. Hi. Hey. Have you met the folks on this boat? No, I’ve seen them.
It doesn't really look like they're here now though, ey? I saw them this morning. Oh! Well then there you go. A big boat.
Ya it is. It's so funny, Paragon looks teeny next to it. She sure does. So it's kind of a gray, slightly rainy, slightly not day. But Éanna has invited us out for lunch. So we're meeting him up at this place called The Laundromat? Or the.. something.
I think it might actually be a laundromat / restaurant. Even thought Drake isn't really feeling very well. Bleh. We're still going out.
How did that go? Huh? Drake is feeling a little bit under the weather today. ( blowing nose ) So uh.. So ya! It's a nice day and we're going to go out and have a lovely lunch. Worst day to get a cold man.
Is there a good day? Well.. There could be better days than just before you're about to sail 700 miles across the Atlantic ocean in autumn. Wooo!!! (laughter) Look at that! Drake: I'm cold! And it's windy! You're whiny? I'm tired. So it looked like, not tomorrow but the day after, maybe the winds are like not crazy windy. enough for us to go the 130 nautical miles to the Vestmannaeyjar islands to the south of Iceland.
But then are we going to get stuck there? The thing about the Vestmannaeyjar islands is that they're closer to Ireland than Reykjavík is. by like 100 nautical miles. By like one whole day of sailing. It'll turn a.. an day sailing trip into a seven day sailing trip. If we depart from the Vestmannaeyjar islands.
Would we get stuck there? I don't know, I don't have the crystal ball. (laughter) But it looked like maybe.. The beginning of what might be A good weather window Like five days out from now But it's too early to tell But if it does It would be better to push off from the Vestmannaeyjar islands Rather than push off from Reykjavík Because it's closer to Ireland. And we want to get across that expanse of water as fast as we can. Cause winter is coming.
Winter is coming! Autumn is upon us. The safe weather windows are becoming fewer and smaller. You sound so dramatic! Less frequent. Winter is coming. The autumn gales.
The autumn gales! Or we could just stay in Iceland. I don't know. Do you think we could? I think we could. I mean.. It's gone fast Internet. It's got nice cafés.
Ya? It's got all of these nice hotspring places. Yes it does! Which is like three bucks to get in and then you can wade in the hot spring water. Would you love a winter of just like being in hot springs? There is the question of would they let us? And there's the question of If the government allows us to stay Then with the yacht club in Reykjavík Allow us to stay. I think it would actually be really nice to spend the winter in Iceland.
It would be really cold though. It would be really cold. You've got a jacket. Ya. I mean it snows a lot here in Iceland. I've heard that.
I'll have my mom send my boots. Yeah we could burn through a lot of diesel to heat the boat and I can get to editing right away. Ya. Hey! How ya getting on? How are you? Hello guys. Hi! It's a nice day. Isn't it great? A little breezy but.. a great day.
So wine? Or did you want cider or both? Wine. Wine? Alright! I'll be back. I'll be in there in just a minute. How's your day getting on? It's going really good. What'd you do? Where are you been? What have you done today? You'll never guess what happened today.
What happened to you? Okay so I went to the Art Gallery. Ya? And then realised you know what? There's a Maritime Museum two minutes away. So I went to the Maritime Museum. It was 1500 kroner for a tour of the museum.
Wow. And a tour, like a personal tour Of the Coast Guard ships. We went around the whole deck of the ship. All the parts of the ship including the engine room. It was called the Odinn. It was the ship involved in the Cod wars? And on the tour, Everyone was asking me all these questions going You sailed here?! Wow! What are the seas like? And is it rocky? They were asking me loads of questions in the tour guide was kind of like..
Go on. (laughter) Wow. We were checking out the engine room And there was this, I thought it was an engineer or something just like working on the boat.
He goes oh this is.. This is Captain Poulsy. The ex-captain of the ship! The guys just went into the engine room so I followed them, and then.. I said "would you mind if I actually go and ask the captain a quick question?" Ya. And the guy's like "Oh I can go with you if you want." And I said oh no it's okay.
I'll just go in. So I went in. And I said, sorry, Poulsi? And he was just like "ya ya ya?" and I'm like "hi I'm Éanna, I just came here on a sailboat."
Would you mind if I ask you one or two questions? And he goes "ya ya ya! What can I help you with?" I told him our plan. He took me up to the bridge. This is like a museum.
But he opened up the drawers. Ya! Took out all these charts. And he told us like.. A particular route. And he told us what to watch out for And there's like two areas That we should just not go.
And I was just sitting there going Is this really happening? Like I went for a tour, And met the captain. He said if you're sailing down to Ireland Don't go here, don't go here. If you're selling to Faroes Don't go here.
If you're sailing to Scotland, don't go here. It was just really random. That's amazing! Really lucky as well. Cause the guys are like oh it's only the captain. And they got off the boat.
And I was like, it's the captain! (laughter) Fantastic! What a cool restaurant. The meatballs... And looks like bacon! Oh my God! (laughter) BBQ chicken burger. mmm Chicken and bacon and special sauce And crazy fries.
You can't really do your laundry here can you? Yeah it's down there. A guy just walked in with a big bag of dirty clothes. Ya.
You do your laundry? That's why I brought you here. Do your laundry, have lunch, grab a beer. Cause how many places can you like this kind of funky experience and do your laundry? (laughter) And do your voyage planning on the nautical charts on the wall? There we are right here in Reykjavík And were considering going to the Vestmannaeyjar island right there. And then maybe to Faroe Or maybe straight to somewhere in Ireland.
It's handy to have a map on the wall right at the table where we sat down. What's it like down there? It's really cool. There is only three washers and three dryers. And then this long table that seats like six. Where are you can hang out with your computer. They have Wi-Fi down there.
All along the wall are these massive cushions like the size of this table And then all along the far wall There are these cubbies. That the kids can climb into. It's really cool! And I guess a lot of people who do laundry Must bring their kids.
Because there's like a ton of kids down there. And like six adults. It is windy today.
In Reykjavík at the yacht club. I got some extra lines put out. And so I'm not really worried. But it is windy. You can see that..
This dock here acts as a sort of break water Protecting those boats Along the concert hall building We're getting a little bit of.. of wave action coming in and hitting us here It was pretty windy earlier. So much so that Paragon and was leaning over by about 15° to the port.
We've got two huge sailboats. Parked behind Paragon. They are both on the 60 foot range I think. Enormous boats with a big crews. Algol is a steel charter boat from France. I've met the captain and he is the nicest man.
He said he'd be happy to give us a little tour Of his boat. Maybe sit down and have a chat. Later on today hopefully. Paragon's leaning over! And then over here we have the concert hall in Reykjavík. This amazing building that I hear cost a ton of money to build.
The symphony plays here twice a week. Except for in the summertime when they're on break. This building is Brokey yacht club in Reykjavík. If you are a foreign flag boat And come into Reykjavík.
To clear in. The harbourmaster will direct you to come to this place. They don't have that many slips, basically this wall dock over here where we are. The yacht club does have these slips over here but they're for smaller boats I'd say like maybe 35 is the max. Except for at the very end of the T. Oh man.
Take a look out over here. It is a windy day. Sure wouldn't want to be sailing in this. Anyway.
Brokey yacht club. Those stairs over there that is the office. We're not going to go in there right now. But we will go in here. There we go. Always lock this door.
Unless your girlfriend's coming in behind you. Here's the clubhouse area. They've got a microwave, coffee maker..
A little electric stove top there. This little bar set up. All these tables. Some nice couch sitting in the corner there.
And the TV. I've come here To use the Internet They have free Wi-Fi. There is the lights. Welcome to the clubhouse of the yacht club in Reykjavík. I'll just show you before I sit down and get started Over here we have the shower room which is absolutely excellent. Most of Iceland uses geothermal energy for heating water.
But not here. Here we have an electric water heater. That's it right there.
Hooked up to this shower here. Which is just absolutely wonderful when it's hot. I'm going to just make myself comfy on the couch down here. And check the weather. Okay I wanted to take a shower but..
But the water heater is taking forever to heat up the water It's still not ready. But I did check the weather And it's going to get worse from what it is right now it's already quite windy. We are right on the other side of this breakwater. The waves are coming in around the corner and we are right on the end So we're getting a lot of the wave action as well as the wind. This is the entrance by the way into Reykjavík harbour. You have the yellow pointy thing there and the yellow pointy thing here They're sort of like light houses.
The one over there flashes green this one flashes red. Marking the entrance to Reykjavík harbour. I don't know if you can hear the wind but it is windy! The weather forecast for this.. For this night is..
Basically 50 winds all over Iceland. Like north, south, east, west Iceland. Everything's about 50 knots. I would say it's a major storm. These two enormous sailboats here. They're rafted up to each other. I am now going to follow their example.
And start tying lines from Paragon Not just to the cleats on the dock here But also to the land. To the big big cleats land there. Oy! It is windy! Look at this! Not comfy! Don't like it. I'd say it's blowing only about 30 right now. But it's definitely going to get a lot windier.
I've got lines going from the cement post here To Paragon. As well as from the dock cleats. A lot of doubling, tripling up of lines. And adding chafe protection everywhere. You can see this enormous cleat here.
Everybody tied up to that thing. You can see the lines going from that to these two boats here. It sucks. I hate this. See how this goes. It's supposed to get the windiest at about 9 o'clock tonight. 10 o'clock in last till..
Basically nine in the morning. So we all have 12 hours Of these 50 knot winds. Come on the boat he said. (laughter) Tropical drinks in bikinis he said.
(laughter) Warm sun! Awww... Want to get certified for scuba-diving? (laughter) Wow! Okay well the worst hasn't arrived yet. It's.. It's.. Yeah that's what they always say to boost morale.
It's supposed to get a lot windier overnight So I think I'll be up all night checking these lines. Over and over. Especially for chafe. Thanks for moving the fenders. That hat looks really cute.
And it's warm. I want to get one too. You should. Ok.. show me.. My ears are toasty. Show me where we can buy a hat like that for me.
I will be thrilled. Can we go inside now? (laughter) (howling wind)
2021-04-07 02:30
