Norway

Part Three

2007

 
 
May 30

After many days of following winds and great sailing we now motored straight into the 20 knot wind for the 65 miles to the city of Bodo. We rafted to a traditional wooden fishing boat and I was happy they didn't want to head out fishing at 4 AM. We left in the morning before they did. We didn't know where we would stop for the night, but wanted to shorten the next day's sail to the Lofoten Islands. Then we passed a protected bay with a white sand beach....easy decision, stay in this perfect anchorage on Vettoya Island.

On the beach in Vettoya Island. Surrounded by snow covered peaks it looks like an Alpine lake.

The water was so clear we could see the bottom 20 feet down. I said it looked like the tropics and someone suggested I dive in.

Then Katie tried it. It was not as warm as the tropics. Now it felt like the Arctic Ocean.

We could not believe how cold it was. So we decided to dive in again, together. It was a race to the boat ladder to see who could get out first.

The fame of the Lofoten Islands' had already started to grow by the year 900. At about this time, rumors of the fantastic winter cod fishing in the islands began to spread. People sailed for days and weeks in small open boats to make the most of the unrivalled fishing opportunities. All these visiting fishermen needed accommodation and at the beginning of the 12th century, King Øystein requested the construction of many fisherman's cabins.

For a large virtual gallery of art from the Lofoten Islands see Lofoten @rt

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It is hard to believe we are north of the Arctic Circle

The land of the Midnight Sun. The sun never sets. Katie took this picture near Vega Island during her watch at 4 AM.

June 1

We are on our way to the Lofoten Islands - a remote island chain with challenging mountaineering routes in normally terrible weather. It had been blowing and rainy for months, but cleared up for our visit.

We found a very nice guest float in Henningsvaer, an historic cod fishing and drying village.

The famous cod drying racks of the Lofoten Islands are still used. During February, March and April, thousands of tons of salted cod fish are hung on racks to air dry, their final destination being Spain, Portugal and North Africa.

Edgar Allen Poe described the seas around the Lofoten Islands as 'lashed into ungovernable fury... the bed of waters seamed and scarred into a thousand conflicting channels bursts into frenzied convulsion - heaving, boiling, hissing'.

Luckily not while we were here!

Go to Norway Part Four