Father and son's dream becomes reality

Scottish author and poet Ian Stephen made a long-held dream come true this summer when he sailed to Iceland on the sailing yacht Silver Moon , accompanied by his son Sean and two others. They set off from Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland about two weeks ago, and the journey has gone better than expected. The crew is currently in Húsavík, the main destination of the voyage, but they hope to sail around the entire country if conditions allow.

“We had to wait for over a week before we could leave Scotland due to bad weather, but since then the weather has been almost perfect,” Sean said in an interview with Morgunblaðið .

The group encountered some fog on their way to Iceland, but no serious problems arose, according to Ian, who described a beautiful moment as they approached land. “There are four of us onboard, and we were sailing through the fog toward the East Fjords. Suddenly, the fog cleared and this beautiful land appeared before us. We could hardly believe our eyes,” he said.

Extensive preparation

The trip had been in the works for more than a year, according to the father and son. “First, we had to buy the boat, transport it to the right place, and refurbish it,” Sean explained. The two divided the work between them—Sean took on the rear part of the boat while Ian worked on the front. “Most of the winter went into planning the voyage and obtaining the necessary permits,” he added.

Ian said the preparations went well and that he and Sean work very well together. “Our skills lie in different areas, and that way we complement each other,” Ian said. Sean and his companions have handled most of the physical work involved in such a voyage, while Ian has used his skills primarily to steer the ship and navigate using maps.

What has surprised them most during the trip is the weather. They said it’s been much better than expected and that they’ve had to use the boat’s engine more than anticipated due to the calm seas. “It looks like we’ve gotten the best weather Iceland has to offer,” said Sean.

If weather conditions allow, they would love to sail around the entire island before heading home. “It would be wonderful to see as much of the country as possible—the Westfjords are very exciting, and so are the Westman Islands and their history,” said Ian.

Visiting family

The main goal of the journey, however, has already been achieved: sailing to Húsavík to visit family. “My aunt moved here in the 1970s, and Dad and I have visited a few times, but the dream was always to follow in the footsteps of the Vikings and sail this ancient route from Scotland to Iceland,” said Sean.

Daniel Annisius, who lives in Húsavík, is related to the father and son and said it was a great joy to welcome them to Iceland. Daniel works for the whale watching company Gentle Giants in Húsavík and helped them plan the journey. “We went out on one of Gentle Giants ’ RIB boats and greeted them as they sailed into Skjálfandi Bay,” said Daniel. “It was a big moment and a lot of fun—a dream becoming reality,” he added.

A spectacle in Skjálfandi Bay

According to Daniel, the father and son were treated to an impressive whale show near the Mánáreyjar islets off Tjörnes. “There were ten humpback whales right by the boat, along with some minke whales. It was quite a spectacle. I just told them it’s always like this in Húsavík,” he said with a laugh.

Ian and Sean are now continuing their journey, with the Westfjords as their next stop. What happens next depends on the weather.