When we last checked in with our two wayward ferry pilots they were soaking themselves in the natural hot springs Iceland is so famous for, trying to bring their core temperature, and blood alcohol level, back to normal. Now if our heroes had been twenty five years younger and single they might have availed themselves to the plentiful beer and blondes that could be found in Reykjavik but alas the story of that day ends with a late dinner and bed. More’s the pity.
The next day found us once again squeezed into our bright orange survival suits taxiing across the ramp for another go at the ocean. The leg from Iceland to Greenland is one of the most dangerous in the world for a number of reasons. Number one is what you’re flying over, the north Atlantic and the Greenland ice cap. The ice cap isn’t so bad, as long as you’re up on your winter survival skills, but if you go down in the north Atlantic the odds of getting picked up alive are slim. The other reason that leg is so dangerous is the fact if the weather gets bad at your destination once you’re past the point of no return to Iceland you have few options. If you’re lucky and were careful with your fuel you might have enough to make it to one of the other airports, unlikely but possible. The other is to throttle back to max endurance and orbit until either the weather clears enough to allow you to land or put it down on the ice cap when you run out of fuel. Fun options.
