Anyone who has ever taken a sea voyage knows that the days are endless and fly by at the same time, especially along the Norwegian coast. Our departure from Bergen is already a day or so behind us. After the last fellow sailor came aboard at 4 PM, we cast off and sailed out in the evening sun to a small harbor with a shop that only sells fishing rods, nets, and yesterday’s newspaper. It’s also a harbor with very little depth. We drop a sounding lead and measure barely 4 meters. Just enough. When we wake up the next morning, the water has dropped another 30 cm or so: time to get out of here fast.
Across the Sognefjord
We continue sailing along the Norwegian coast. During the day, there are significant swells as we cross the Sognefjord. Fortunately, it’s calmer between the small islands off the coast. It slowly starts to get dark. Instead of navigating by mountains and islands, we rely on the sector lights and lit beacons along the coast. We sail from one white sector to the next. A wonderful navigation tool, as long as there aren’t too many large, lit areas on the shore. Then it becomes difficult to distinguish the sector lights from factory towers.
At the start of the night, we tie up at one of the Norwegian islands. We get some fresh air on the quay for a bit and then dive into our bunks. Tomorrow is another day.
Gannets and Puffins
That day starts with a light rain shower. We leave for the bird island of Runde. It’s a relatively short trip. Runde is famous for its bird cliffs with countless gannets and puffins. Hikers take a path up to reach the other side of the island where the birds have their spot. Unfortunately, the puffins don’t arrive until around 5 PM, too late to wait for them. But by the time we “returned home” on board, Marijn had already prepared a delicious meal.
After a good night in Runde, we set off for a long journey further north in Norway. We have 370 miles ahead of us. With an average speed of 6 knots, it will be about 60 hours of sailing. Fortunately, the wind is very kind to us every now and then. In about an hour, we’ll cross the Arctic Circle. For most, it’s the first time. By now, the nerves are starting to kick in a bit. Will Neptune stop by, and if so, in what outfit??
Will you sail with us along the Norwegian coast? Check out the trips we offer in Norway here.
