Deeper into the Faroes

It was the breakfast with the most beautiful view of my life. I could feel my heart in my chest. Half of me couldn’t run out to the bow of the ship fast enough while the other half could stay with my hot coffee, breathing it all in from breakfast for ever.

We were sailing up from Tórshavn to the small village of Funningur, on the island of Eysturoy toward the north of the Faroes.

On this morning, I had this anxious feeling that I couldn’t waste a moment. I wanted to see every grass covered hill, every stream and waterfall, every sliver of sunlight on a mountain or the ocean. In reality, there was no panic. We were going to have all day - all day to hike, take in a guided tour around town, and time to explore. It just hadn’t even really begun and I already couldn’t stand having to leave.

It reminded me of when I picked up my rental car in Iceland. The rental agent confirming my reservation out loud to me ‘5 weeks… Okay… And what do you plan to do in Iceland for 5 weeks?’

And to me, he was the crazy one. 5 lifetimes would not be enough, never mind 5 weeks.

And the Faroes just felt the same, and I knew it would be that way. The heart being ripped out of my chest feeling when it was time to leave — and it was definitely that.

The village of Funningur

After a little quiet time with some sheep up at the top of town - a waterfall above me, a stream cutting just in front of me, and the ‘pier’ down below me, I knew I should probably be getting back down to return to the ship, but I had that sinking feeling in my stomach.

“Of course it’s Sean!”

Coming around the corner of a building and down to the zodiac landing site, all our expedition guides and staff are lined up and one sees me and says with a smile and a laugh “Of course it’s Sean!”

I smirked, seeing that I was obviously the last one back joining a few others lingering around… “I know, I know - but I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to!”, I say with a laugh back.

Getting to and around Tórshavn, Faroe Islands

Following our departure from North Ronaldsay, there were a few of us crazies up in the panorama lounge loving life being thrown around by the ocean. Most of the ship was far less thrilled than we were though. The dining room at dinner was kind of laughably empty, and I chuckled with the dining room staff every time the ship got a good jolt. They had just come up from Antarctica and a season crossing the Drake, so this was all still childs play to them. But for me, the thrill of the waves rocking the ship made me feel like a child again. I loved it.

North of North Ronaldsay enroute to the Faroes

Some quiet time in the panorama lounge after dinner, culling bird photos, way too many bird photos, to the soothing motion of the ocean and a deepening twilight sky after sunset finally gave way to bed. Tórshavn would be in the morning, and the alarm for breakfast always comes way too early.

The night was… a little rough. But just how rough? My Apple Watch detected enough motion through the night to award me with standing hours while I was lying in bed sleeping.

Every so often I would be jolted awake to the thunderous boom of a wave hitting especially hard. I could feel myself smile and go immediately back to sleep.

My first puffins right alongside the ship as we slowed nearing the harbour of Tórshavn!

We had all day in Tórshavn, and started with a hike from the outskirts of town over to Kirkjubøur - a small community just over the mountains. It was more breathtaking than I could ever tell you or show you. The weather changed every 5 minutes, and our guide bumped into a farmer he knew so we stopped to gush over all his beautiful sheep. The views of dramatic mountainsides rising and falling into the sea, covered in grass and the most beautiful rock were just perfect. I loved the town, I loved the culture, I loved the nature, and it had been all of about 3 minutes.

For the rest of the day back in Tórshavn now, I walked the coast, criss-crossed through town, and of course, took the opportunity to seek out wool sweaters which was both overwhelmingly expensive and successful. A few of us showed up to dinner back onboard the ship that night in our distinctly Faroese hand knit sweaters.

It was the best, most magical day ever.