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Murmansk to Narvik Wednesday/Thursday 12 July in Murmansk (69N 4.8, 33E125.9).Having got in at 0300 today then spending 0500-0600 with the Customs men we naturally slept in awhile. Margo and John shopped while I caught up with 64 emails. Had dinner in a very smart new restaurant in the former passenger terminal office building overlooking our jetty with really excellent food and with a live band, Margo letting her hair down and receiving applause for her dancing. Met some Russians, and invited them back on board. They were most reluctant as they were sure the little green men were watching us! I asked another Vladimir where I could buy a telescope. I had seen some in Viborg but missed the opportunity. He offered to take us in his car at 2 next day. He duly met us with his Samara and took us to four different shops where I finally found a 30 to 50x zoom instrument only 8" long. Fantastic clarity and presumably developed for KGB surveillance (The former KGB office in Murmansk is still operational under another name). He also took us to a very up-market art gallery where we, the gallery manager her charming young assistants, were given cakes and champagne, a veritable oasis of luxury and culture. Many of the pictures used a relatively new technique of "painting" with mineral powder (they have 88 different colours and they can be blended) producing very clean pictures which should never age. Then had a further dinner in the restaurant, three good courses and beer for GBP5 per head. Got back just in time for Customs and Immigration whom we'd asked to come at 2100. With so many unnecessary big-ship forms this took another hour. We were then presented with a bill for USD100 for the agent (who had done nothing except a little interpretation for the C&E people). "Why not ask for USD1000?" I said, "as we are not paying". He 'phoned his superior who said we must pay. "Send me to prison then" I said good-humouredly (the C&E people present also agreed the charge outrageous). After further discussion the boss said I could pay what I felt reasonable and they happily accepted 500 roubles and we left the best of friends! Photographed the whole group of six officials alongside the boat. Thursday/Friday 13/14 July, Murmansk to Vardø (70N22.6, 31E6.7), 112NM Left 2200 on a beautiful evening with the "night-time" temperature only dropping to 22ºC!, and sailed about half the 22 hours to berth in the small ships part of the harbour. Had a reverse culture shock with trim colourful houses and tidy surrounds, well-metalled roads. Nomad and Fereale were here but Spirit of Aolous had already left and Endring doubled back to Kirkenes for crew change. Had glorious showers in hotel for 30Kr including 10Kr for towel. Saturday 15 July in Vardø (my birthday!) A day for boat cleaning in glorious sunshine. Called at local fish factory to ask if we could use their quay for water, then went alongside. Albert Elvertum the plant manager gave us four packets of smoked white haddock and sold us a huge piece of smoked red haddock (better than salmon and exported worldwide). He offered us more fish but I said it was my birthday (and was about to add we would be eating out!). He then presented us with an enormous haddock which he packed in ice in a huge polystyrene box and lowered it by crane into our hold, correction, cockpit. Standing on the spare fuel containers it actually made a useful table which we used for buffet meals. Having returned to our berth he arrived with an employee and wife to show us how to cut and eat the fish, appreciating Russian beer and Scottish whisky! He also invited us to use his wharf free, together with his showers! But first we crossed the harbour to collect the charts and pilots of Norway left here for us by Barry Woodhouse (en route to Black sea), and have an super birthday dinner at the hotel, together with a bottle of excellent Russian champagne that we'd been presented with by the City in Petrozavodsk. Sunday 16 July, Vardø to Båtsfjord (70N37.9,29E43.1), 40NM The weather continued warm and fine, but we were told this was extremely rare. Weather now reverted to normal, fog all day but nice evening in Baatsfjord. But the sea is hottest for years, 10.5ºC cf normally less than 8ºC Left Albert's Quay 1100. Pased Makkaur with its wrecks on the rocks below the light house! Extensive snow patches. Berthed on small boat pontoon at 1930. Electricity and water. Quiute a large town with Joker supermarket. Monday 17 July, Båtsfjord to Berlevåg and Gamvik (71N3.6,28E15.7), 25 and 21NM Cloud base down to 100m. Margo sketched Kolneset. Saw dogseal. Passed Kjölnes light house at 1300 with low cloud base to enter Berlevåg at 1330. This is a small and busy fishing port with no facilities for yachts and high quays, so lay alongside a fishing vessel. Attractive but locked church. Surrounded by mountains and built on slate. Left 1600 goose-winging for a while with SE wind. Berthed alongside quay in Gamvik at 1940. Tuesday 18 July, Gamvik to Honningsvåg (70N58.8, 25E58.5), 53NM Left quay 0940, passing Slettnes Fyr, a 44m light house, at 1050. Reached our furthest north point (71N8.7, 27E47.9) at 1200 but with no wind decided against the extra distance in rounding Nord Kapp taking the inner route, used by the Huttigruten, instead, altering course for Honningsvåg. Nord Kapp came in sight 20NM distant at 1500. Glassy flat sea and warn, 24C. Berted on finger pontoon at 1915. well provisioned town. Wednesday 19 July, Honningsvåg to Måsøy (71N0.3,25E0.95), 22NM Fuelled at Shell station, left at 1445. Little wind all day arriving with a beautiful glassy pale blue sea at 1900. Saw puffin, artic tern and guillemot. Finger berths. Måsøy is of course pronounced morse-a. Scrambled up hill with commanding view of many islands and mountains, noisy gulls gliding into rising air current. Ver soft heathery turf. We still have 295NM to Narvik and 13 days to go if we are to use our return tickets from Malmo. Thursday 20 July, Måsøy to Havöysund and Hammerfest (70N39.8, 23E41.1), 41NM. Left at 0800 with variable wind, but got short good sail. Stopped briefly in Havöysund where the Hurtigruten did a U-turn behind us. Arrived in the world's most northerly town of Hammerfest at 1830, berthing against wooden jetty. A major tourist centre with fast catamarans visiting Nord Kapp. Town including church razed to ground by Germans in 1944 (as were all other villages in Finmark) so all buildings including a fine church are post-war. All facilities but not geared to yachts, no complaints as no charge! Friday 21 July, Hammerfest to Kaarhamn (70N32.8,23E9.4), 13NM Short evening sail to Kaarhamn where we were invited to uise the vacant side of the pontoon next to the ferry jetty and close to shops. (email narrative log for previous week lost and reconstructed fom deck log). Saturday 22 July, Kårhamn to Hasvik, 22NM and Loppa island (70N20.7,21E27.2), 8NM Some rain in night and overcast at first with mountain-tops in cloud. Left Kärhamn 0900 through broad Soroysundet which is heavily indented by fjords 2-3NM long both to north and south. Stunning mountain scenery to south the cloud gradually lifting to expose their full grandeur. One appeared to be a perfect pyramid. Arrived spot-on 1300 for lunch in Hasvik. Margo and I walked up fellside behind for painting and photographs while John managed to get a lift to the caves. When inhabitants were ordered to leave by Germans in October 1944 and the village entirely burnt, over 500 hid in caves at Kvithellardalen, 7km up W coast. 502 were rescued by four RN destroyers in February 1945 and taken to safety in Scotland. The weather was now perfect and hot in sun. Left Hasvik and Soroyfjord for open sea at 1615. Very long swell, but virtually no wind. Motored all day arriving Loppa island 2010. Choice (only) of two pier heads, old and new, and no space to anchor. A drunkard greeted us and inferred we could safely use the old Rutebåtanløp pier, but we were glad when his irate wife came to fetch him by car(!) and confirmed this! No facilities at all except a PO, but main village some way by road has a church and may have shop. This is the first place to have trees, albeit a bit bushy, also many sheep on fellside. Masses of birds including pair of curlew. Sunday 23 July, Loppa to Hamnneset, 39NM Walked up fell behind harbour with commanding views of mountainous islands with permanent snowfields. An hours sailing before wind died, but it recovered to give us four hours of super sailing right into Nord Lenangen fjord where the fully enclosed Hamnneset harbour had a pontoon with 29-finger berth, several vacant. Unusable electricity and no water. En route we had seen the most magnificent scenery yet, with 1015m Kaagtindan rising out of the sea with fine waterfall from a high level lake disappearing into the terminal moraine of a former glacier. Weather deteriorated with falling cloud as we arrived making it much colder. Monday 24 July, Hamnneset to Tromsø, 35NM Weather deteriorated overnight and left in fog with cold north wind. This headed us until we left the fjord but enabled us to sail all day thereafter! Fog and low cloud cleared by midday giving stunning views of mountains rising from the sea. As we neared Tromsø, and read of strong streams in the approach, we thought it prudent to check the time of high water at Tromsø, not having managed to get Norwegian tide tables. Tried calling the Coastguard and Pilots on a range of channels without response and finally called the pilot office on the mobile! Good thing we were not in trouble. Arrived Tromsø 1530 and berthed in guest pontoon below the magnificent ultramodern Rica Hotel. This allows use of showers and washing machine provided by the hotel in the base of the hotel's outer tower. Put these to good use! John, whose last night this was with us, treated us to a splendid meal in the hotel. We had the buffet menu, which allowed us to have soup, cold meats and fish with salads, hot meats and vegetables, and super naughty sweets, even returning for seconds! Evening walk across bridge, past the ultramodern cathedral to see the big residential marina, 95% motor-cruisers. On return saw a group at the centre of the bridge doing bungee jumps off the parapet into the sea 36.5m below, together with the recovery arrangement. Our man looked very cold and wet by the time he was hauled back to the parapet! Tuesday 25 July, day in Tromsø Quick shop for a picnic, then bus to the cable car station where we were whisked 430 metres up a steep hillside to beautiful fells very like the Lake District but drier, and with masses of flowers, and of course surrounded by snow-covered mountains and deep blue fjords. Probably ascended another 250m on foot. Some extensive patches of snow, some of which we crossed kicking steps. After descending we walked to the cathedral, now open. A very striking stained glass window encloses the entire eastern end while an amazing modern organ is high up in the west end. On return to Babaji we found a card from "Officers and Cadets of CAPELLA ENDEAVOUR Combined Cadet Force, RN invite members of the Cruising Association to an RPC on Tuesday 6.30 to 7.30pm." It was from Ian Newton who had 'phoned me some months previously about getting gas in Norway! There were 11 on board and they were off on a night passage to find whales. They had ordered a complete set of Norwegian charts from the Admiralty which were all stamped "Not to be used for navigation" as they had not been updated. But they found bridges shown on the Norwegian charts not on the BA charts! Tuesday 25 July, Tromsø to Gibostad, 28NM John Kapp left us today to continue to Bergen by Hurtigrutan coastal express. Lazy start, but took round to the private marina to the south by the Polaria museum (designed to look like slabs of ice falling from a glacier into the sea, or the marina!). Excellent museum, with dramatic wrap-around-screen cinema views of the arctic as seen by a bird, and an aquarium with five bearded seals (all abandoned by their mothers) that you can walk under through a glass tunnel and see the seals swimming overhead. Stayed to see them being fed (one tame enough to come on land and have his tummy tickled. The marina (which had a Russian guest) has card-operated gates, electricity and water. Left at 1330 to set off SSW down Rystraumen with a usable wind for a while until it decided to head us. The winds invariably flow along the fjords but can quickly change through 180deg. For a while we were open to the arctic northwest and had a lively sea. Arrived Gibostad, which was deserted, at 1950 and lay alongside pontoon meant for small boats but in plenty of water. Our first day without midnight sun, although it set at 24:00 and rose at 01:48! Wednesday 26 July, Gibostad to Risöyhamn, 39NM The wind managed to head us all day so we motored 13 hours, often making poor progress against a choppy exposed sea. But a cloudless day at 22C. Saw a schooner under full sail but too distant to identify. Finished up with a narrow winding channel shared with large ships to the Risoyrennen bridge, but turning off before the bridge to berth between tiny fingers meant for smaller boats at Risoyhamn. Friday 28 July, Risöyhamn to Sortland and Digermulen, 49NM Bought food and marine diesel at the supermarket 50m from the pontoon and a girl assistant carried one of the 25L cans to the boat for me! Norwegian marine diesel is green. Large ferry Kong Harald last seen in Tromso left to pass us shortly after we went under bridge. Stopped at Stamneset a fairly large but very busy town to investigate berthing. No facilities although there are marinas about a mile to north as south. Church built 1901 open, seats 850. Met a Californian who had come back to trace her ancestors born here. Kept the sails up all day with a soldiers wind that gave 3 hours of pure sailing out of the 9.5. Entered the Raftsundet at 1800 and penetrated the gloomy Trollfjord with its vertical walls going right into the depths below and minimum width of 100m. This is one of the "musts" in the Lofoten islands but best seen with midday sun. Many yachts had painted their names on the vertical rock, presumably attaching themselves with pitons hammered into cracks. But we were glad to get out into the warmth and sunshine again. We then had a quandary as to where to spend the night, it being low tide and approaches to some sand-bottomed anchorage's seeming very shallow. Finally settled on the sheltered bay off Digermulen, and had the anchor ready when we spotted a yacht on a little pontoon. We asked them if we could lay alongside and received a most warm welcome. The pontoon belonged to his elder brother who lived where they had been born, and we were invited to use his super shower in a little hut nearby. Saturday 29 July, Digermulen to Risvær, 8NM Another fabulous day (but windless) and had planned to take a cautious route inshore of the hundreds of tiny islands to the south. Harald (our neighbour) invited me to fill up with their excellent water, the hose just reaching across his boat. Supermarket nearby opened at 1000, but then Margo got the inspiration to paint. Harald had an amazing CMAP CD-ROM which covered the seas of the world; he showed us his home near Bodo, then we traced our passage through Russia, finally finding Orford Castle and Church (we live opposite)! He also poo-pood my cautious passage plan. So we decided to lunch first, after which Harald and Turid invited us on board to sample dried fish with Norwegian beer. We finally left at 1500 with a revised passage plan to visit the Risvæer islands. Left the Raftsundet to join the vast Vest Fjord with its spectacular backdrop of jagged mountains to the south, clear in outstanding visibility. Especially prominent was the tall bell-shaped mountain Hamarøyskaftet with some connection to Norway's Nobel prizewinner - must try to fathom this out. Turned NW for the Risvoer islands arriving at LW. But the tall wooden quay - later proving to be disused - gave an excellent deep water mooring from which we were able to explore the eastern island with its Rorbu cabins standing on each side of the narrow sound between the two islands. All now converted to comfortable holiday homes with their motor cruisers replacing the rowing boats used by the fishermen of old. The island is carpeted with a black-berried plant, few bilberries and delicious golden berry-clusters called Moltebær that become edible when they turn from red to gold. Back at our quay we met the owner of the islands Erleng Falch whose great-great-great-grandfather had bought the islands in 1801 to found Norway's oldest fishing company. After a post-war period the islands were used as a prison until being used for modern fishing with a processing plant. Amazingly the electric crane on the quay burst into life as I curiously pressed a button on its dangling control box. There was also a deserted shop (from 4 years ago) still with a pile of picture postcards visible! Sunday 30 July, Risvær to Lödingen, 26NM Awoke to change in weather, 14°C, mist and drizzle with no mountains visible. The carefully planned route through the myriad of little islands and the iron beacons that indicate submerged rocks seemed less attractive, so I replanned a route passing south between the Risvær islands into clearer water to the south. Once again we were headed by the wind and motored most of the day. Arrived in marina of sleepy town of Lödingen at 1730; huge marina with two excellent showers. Monday 31 July - Lödingen to Narvik (68N25.53, 17E25.82 at Vassvik), 36NM Left Gjestbrygge at 1145 and managed to sail nearly all day with a northerly wind, unusual as this was across the Ofotfjorden (fjord). We only had 1:200.000 chart but this was adequate for this broad fjord. Little of interest on coasts except the great white scar of the dolomite quarry and it associated port. Arrived at the Vassvik Småbåthavn at 1930, and received a very warm welcome. ©Raymond Glaister 2000-3 September 2000, updated 16/1/03 |
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