Our latest holiday with John and Su on Trinovante was to the Arctic coast of Norway, from Bodø across to the Lofoten islands for a few days before coming back to Bodø. All of the Norwegian coast is beautiful, but the more northerly parts are really rugged with jagged black peaks combining with the blue waters and green vegetation to produce some memorable scenery.
After a day in Oslo including Tøyen parkrun and a trip to the Viking Ship Museum , it was time for our flight to Bodø.
After an exciting early part of the flight from Oslo to Bodø where the pilot earned his pay, winding between thunderstorms, the skies have cleared and we have a series of fabulous views – this is Nordfjord (with Melfjord on the far right), with the Svartisen ice cap on the northern (left) side. We travelled up Nordfjord on Trinovante in 2016 .
We start our journey from Bodø towards the Lofoten islands
A lighthouse through a porthole on Trinovante
Lucy in her Fladen “boil in the bag” suit which kept us lovely and snug in the Arctic. The presence of a sail-bag by Lucy’s right hand suggests activity is imminent.
The Lofotens
A 180° view of our anchorage for our first night around the Lofotens
Heading up Trollfjord. This is something of a tourist hotspot, and Su was a little dismissive of being in such a busy spot, but it was beautiful and well worth a little trip
Waterfall (foss) in Trollfjord
Heading back out of Trollfjord
Having turned to exit Trollfjord, a look back from the bowsprit
A seaplane chugs up the fjord, emphasising the point about it being something of a tourist hotspot.
Coming in to moor at Skrova
Cod drying racks on Skrova
Trinovante from across the harbour
A 360° view from the top of Storskrova
From the top of Storskrova, looking across the harbour with Trinovante just visible. In the distance the archipelago of Henningsvaer is visible centre left, our destination tomorrow.
The lovely beach on the east side of Skrova. I had a quick paddle, but although the scenery was lovely, the sand nice and the water crystal clear, the water was also extremely cold as one might expect in the Arctic
Next day, some fishing
Lucy with a cod, some of which made a great dinner
Me (and Cindy with John in the background) with the three saithe I caught in one go.
Saithe for dinner too!
Seagulls fight over the fish scraps
Looking back to Skrova as we head for Henningsvaer
Claire with a hitchhiker behind her
Arriving in Henningsvaer
From the high point of one of the islands, a look back across some of the cod racks to the little town of Henningsvaer
Cod drying – note the heads have been removed
Layers of gneiss and gabro
Bundles of drying cod heads – apparently most go to Nigeria
Henningsvaer
I’m on island number four of my morning run
Breakfast view of Henningsvaer
Lucy and I went out geocaching – it takes you to some strange places, including some neither of us would have visited otherwise. This is from the north of Henningsvær looking to the big island of Austvågøy
Heading away from Henningsvaer
Lucy and Su
Coming into Stamsund harbour
From the harbour I went for a walk, and passed this unusual garage door
Looking across the small town of Stamsund
A presumably German fort on top of the hill
A view of Stamsund from the top of the hill, including Trinovante in the harbour
Cod on a boat next to us in the harbour
Claire and Lucy during a gentle run the next morning
Approaching Apnes on our run
For a sailing holiday, there aren’t many pictures of us sailing. That’s partly because from on board it’s so difficult to get a decent picture – the sails and masts are so big, they need to be pictured from elsewhere. But here’s a flavour with all three gaff sails up.
Forward of the gaff sails is the staysail, and behind me the jib.
A gentle start as we leave our overnight anchorage
Half of the anchorage
More fishing
It was only a relatively short hop from our final anchorage back to Bodø, and easier to motor in winds that we predicted to be light and variable, but there was enough to make it worth setting the topsails flying which ended up taking us most of the journey – a great way to end the sailing trip.
From Bodø, the final leg of our holiday was by bus and sleeper train to Stockholm, concluding with a visit to the Vasa Museum .