They were suddenly hit by a gale that snapped the mast stay and sent them flying along at 20 knots. Brendan was breaking all the records for skin boats! George struggled to keep Brendan on course. Edan and Arthur moved out of the way of the mast, so that if it broke they would not be squashed. They missed one of the Faroes Islands, Vagar. They were caught right in the middle of the tide race now, and there was no getting out. Then the lower bonnet snapped and broke free. Edan grabbed it before it could sail overboard. They brought down the mainsail, and Arthur pounced on it. Before bursting, the sail had done its work. It had driven them almost the whole length of the Sound. Just then, a fierce burst of wind came along that flattened the waves. If the sail had still been up, the mast would have broken.
They managed to land on one of the other Faroes Islands. The Faroese were very interested in Brendan, as they grew up around the sea. Here they picked up another member of the crew, Trondur.
When Edan and Arthur showed a strange enthusiasm for doing the breakfast dishes, Tim and George followed them one day. They were tracked to a seaman's hotel, where they were eating a second (and free) breakfast while admiring Faroese girls did their work for them.
The Faroese had a lot of hospitality. They helped get Brendan ready for the journey to Iceland.
More soon!
Bell
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