Bergur-Huginn’s fresher trawler Bergey docked in the Westman Islands yesterday with a full fishroom after a six-day trip, making it home this time on half-power.
According to skipper Ragnar Waage Pálmason, they had a good trip, but were unfortunate enough to foul the gear in one of the propellers, just as they were hauling the last tow of the trip.
‘It’s not great to foul the propeller, so it certainly helps to have two engines and two propellers. We made seven to eight knots heading for the Islands. Most of this trip was fishing in the Skaftár Deeps and the Skerja Deeps, for mixed fish. It’s mostly haddock, with some cod, saithe, whiting and redfish,’ he said.
‘The weather has been lousy the whole time, with non-stop northerly storms.Most of the time there have been wind speeds of 20-25m/sec, but the day before yesterday it dropped away down to only 15m/sec. During the worst of the weather we had to find a lee under the land.’
Sister trawler Vestmannaey has also landed a full trip of mixed fish caught in the Breiðamerkur Deeps. According to skipper Egill Guðni Guðnason, the weather dictated everything for this trip.
‘This has been difficult one,’ he said. ‘We had to be giving way the whole time and even had to shelter near the land. There has been lousy weather the whole trip, and it can be exhausting.’
Image: Guðmundur Alfreðsson
