The holiday started with a flight to Trondheim where we stayed in the airport hotel, before catching a train hundred of kilometres north to Bodø.
The view south from the back of the train as we head northTwo pyramids mark the line of the Arctic Circle as our train continues northLucy and Claire at Bodø station – just the walk to the boat nowThe dream teamHappily underway as we head for an evening anchorageSun on the hills at 2240 from our anchorage NNW of Bodø off the island of Landegode
Day 2 – Landegode to Støtt
Morning reflections at anchor
Anchor chain in the forepeak – time to get that anchor up
Gently underway on a calm morningLooking along the deck from the galley
A calm day, so a good opportunity for some fishing
Moored at the hamlet of StøttHeading out for a little walk around the little archipelago, linked by causewaysExploring some of the ruins from WWII. The Norwegian observation post here was occupied by the Nazis in 1940, and they decided to build a battery on this island of Svenningen. Along the road on the seaward side, barracks were erected by Organization Todt with prisoner labour. The fortification has a good overview over shipping lanes and Vestfjorden. In addition to a prison camp, the Germans had about 300 soldiers manning the battery. There was also an infirmary with its own medical staff.
The equipment consisted of four 10.5 cm K335 cannons with a range of 16 km, so-called Bofors cannons, though other artillery was installed at various times. After the war the liberation sparked strong feelings among people and parts of the fortifications were destroyed by the Home Guard. In time, the barracks were demolished, and material used in the construction of new houses on the island.
Day 3 – Nordfjord (off Melfjord)
First order of the day was a run, my first inside the Arctic Circle.
A fair bit of today, and almost all the photos, was a trip up Nordfjord, a beautiful still place, with waters turning cyan as we progressed, and the temperature gradually falling, in part as the air became increasingly dominated by cold air descending from the Svartisen ice cap that surrounds the far end of the fjord – you might be able to spot the scarves coming out as we progressed.
Note that there is another Nordfjord nearby, but that has a road along its full length and has a fair few visitors – the one we went to is an offshoot of Meljord and is much more isolated and rarely travelled.
Part of the ice cap from a distance.Emily and Claire admire the viewThe water really was this colourGlacier grooves on the side of the fjord
The view through the hatch of the main crew cabinGetting closer to the end of the fjord and the ice cap
Time to turn around
Another quiet anchorage, towards the mouth of Nordfjord
Day 4 – sailing south
360° degree panorama at anchor in Nordfjord in the morningUnderwayHeading for the Arctic Circle marker on Vikingen island, Lenticular cloud
Sailing under light wind rig of jib and a flying fisherman’s topsail, with another rigged ready to hoist on this side as we sail down a twisting narrow passage.
Sailing the narrow passage between Stigen and Lurøya islands, we are such a welcome sight that the locals have come out in their boats, and are gifting us dried codSome of the dried cod
John takes a mallet to some of the cod – the bashed fish flakes are a treat, a bit like having nuts as a bar snack
What a glorious day – but some rain aboutEvidence of rain
Day 5 – to Sandnessjøen and on
Lunch moored at SandnessjøenLooking for an anchorage off Ylvingen
Day 6 – to Brønnøysund
Early morning at anchor
Moored at Brønnøysund for the night – half way down the coast of Norway from the North Cape to Lindesnes. We did some shopping and I went for a run – given that we are only just south of the Arctic Circle, then the weather was very warm.
We are picked up by some friends of Su and John who take us to their home where they have a grill hut. Inside the grill hut, with vast quantities of meat being grilled – unlike the British approach which sees the cook (usually the man or men) off on their own, here cooking is part of the social gathering, which thanks to the hut can be carried out at any time of year and in any weather.The setting sun at 2230
Day 8 – more fishing, and to Vingsand
Lucy, William and John present their catchesMine is more modest but still pretty satisfactory
Lucy at the helm from the stern deck and from the bowsprit as we head from Rørvik towards Vingsand
Day 9 – Vingsand
Trinovante at her overnight mooring – the view from the shower block which was (as they usually are) around three sides of the harbour.We went for a walk from Vingsand, over the hill to the western side of the peninsula, with views here to the west over North and South Skokkeløya islands to the ocean.Emily looks towards a cave where a climb is promised
Almost all the way around our loop, and we can see back down into the harbour with Trinovante on the left. The descent was an opportunity to harvest some wild raspberries.
Day 10
In the morning, Emily and I went for a run before breakfast
After setting off from Vingsand, an exploration down Vingfjord
Anchored for the night off Sandviksberget – we have made very little progress but it’s a lovely spotImproved still further by good company and a glass of wineTravelling south, the sun is setting earlier – even more so with the hills in the way, so it’s only 2133.Still some sun on the hills in the other direction for a little longer
Day 11
After several days not going very far, we are now making good progress southwards, with both topsails up above their gaff sails as we pass Terningen in the middle of the day.
Day 13 – to Trondheim
Emily, Stephen, Lucy, William and ClaireThe weather has deteriorated a bit, but we’re still having fun.
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