Motoring south and east out of Greenland, we battened down our belongings and prepared to spend long hours in our bunks, since the Denmark Straight had a reputation for being full of storm-driven waves and stubborn icebergs.

But our crossing was flat and easy, with temperatures so warm we left the doors out onto the decks open for hours at a time. It took less than the projected 36 hours before we arrived in Iceland.

In between packing bags, exchanging contact information, and settling our bar tabs, we celebrated our first genuine sunset with a round of photographs, and drank in the increasing darkness of night with relish.