In the afternoon, we cycled around the bay and across to Bird Mountain, enjoying a peaceful picnic while watching thousands of seabirds nesting on the cliffs. Afterward, we returned to the boat, keen to get a few more hours of cruising before sunset.
By the time we left, the sun had disappeared, and the wind and rain followed. We reached Lödingen in the fog, where we celebrated a foggy Midsummer with schnapps. I took a moment to FaceTime my wife Eva, who was home alone with Covid.
The next morning brought clear skies and light winds. After ten days in Lofoten, it was time to say goodbye. As we left the harbour, the snow-capped peaks reflected in the calm water. We cruised at 31 knots toward the mainland, easing down to 26 knots as the waves built.
Three-and-a-half hours later, we arrived in Bodö. Much to our delight, summer had arrived, and we dug out our shorts. The harbour was lively, and we secured a berth near the square. Although the tour boats to Saltstraumen were fully booked, some friendly Norwegians invited us to join them for rum and shrimp, teaching us about the local waters and whirlpools.
We ended the evening on the flybridge, enjoying chilled wine and watching the square co*e alive below.
The next day, we set off under clear skies towards Saltstraumen, navigating the world’s strongest tidal current. The whirlpools were calm today, but we still felt the power of the swirling waters as we pushed through. Once clear, we continued through calm straits, cruising at 35 knots towards the Svartisen glacier.
As we entered Holandsfjorden, the still water mirrored the surrounding mountains. We moored at the floating dock, had lunch, then cycled along the fjord before hiking up to Engebreevatnet, a small lake. From a rocky ledge, we gazed at the glacier, hearing it groan as it crept towards the sea.
After a refreshing dip in the fjord’s cold water, we cruised south, passing the Arctic Circle monument. We reached Sandnessjöen at 8:30pm and discovered our septic tank was full, but we made do for the night.
After dinner, we toasted with gin and tonic, using ice from the glacier.
A bit slow to start after a late night, we set off south under light winds, cruising at 35 knots. We stopped for lunch at the picturesque harbour of Abelvaer and continued, switching drivers every hour.
Later, we fueled up at Faeringen and spotted the royal yacht Norge as we entered Trondheimsfjord. We pulled into Skansen’s Guest Harbor just as the rain began pouring down. After covering 220nm, we were now closer to Bergen, where Jörgen would sign off. Tomorrow, we’d explore Trondheim and get the septic tank emptied.
This is the third part of Per Harrtift’s adventure, see the Part 1 and Part 2.
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