Leisure 22 Valkyrien's Voyage
Leisure 22 Valkyrien two year, 14,000 nm voyage, from Kopervik Norway to New Zealand In 2006-2007
After Svend Billesbølle returned from his successful circumnavigation in an L23, two young Norwegian sailors, Oystein Djonne (skipper) and Vidar Krovik set off from Kopervik in a Leisure 22 on a two year voyage which ended in New Zealand.
The intrepid pair had originally planned a complete circumnavigation.
The Leisure 22, probably built in 1976, proved remarkably seaworthy and safe. The pair left in May 2006, covering 2,300 nm from Norway via the Kiel Canal and the French waterways to the Mediterranean then on to Gibraltar, Morocco and the Canary Islands which they reached in late October.
On November 26th Oystein and Vidar set off from Las Palmas across the Atlantic to Bridgetown in Barbados, completing the voyage of 2926 nautical miles on December 23rd in 27 days at an average speed of 4.5 knots. The crossing went well with no major problems.
By April 2007 the pair travelled another 2,000nm, made transit through the Panama Canal and were in the Galapagos Islands. The trip of 3,100 nm across the Pacific from the Galapagos to the Marquesas Islands was their longest sail and was completed in just over 29 days.
Their average speed was 4.45 knots; an admirable performance on a boat with waterline of less than 20 feet (6 metres).
The 1,500 nm trip from the Marquesas through French Polynesia, Tahiti, the Society and the Cook Islands is unfortunately undocumented before Valkyrien arrives in Palmerston in the Cook Islands.
From there Oystein and Vidar sail 660 nautical miles to Tonga in 6.5 days; an average speed of 4.2 knots
The trip of 1100 nautical miles from Tonga to New Zealand took 9.5 days; a remarkable average speed of 4.8 knots!
At this point Vidar left Valkyrien and headed home to Norway whilst Oystein sailed up the New Zealand coast. And there the story ends.
Presumably Oystein had his fill of ocean voyaging, decided not to continue the circumnavigation, sold Valkyrien and returned home to Norway? It's impossible to say since attempts to make contact with the intrepid pair have failed.
If any reader has further information, please do contact our editor. Oystein and Vidar completed a remarkable voyage in their Leisure 22 and I raise my hat in recognition of their courage and perseverance.
The website detailing the voyage was set up nearly 18 years ago and appears to have been maintained by Vidar. It’s well worth a visit.