The few nights at anchor in Donna were really lovely exploring the island and also having the opportunity to try out our new anchor in earnest, playing with the option of a stern anchor too. We left anchor and motored our way up the East coast of the island, we noticed in 2014 that the further north we got the scenery became much rougher, the hills and mountains more harsh and barren, something we both quite like actually. We pulled in to pontoon on the island of Onoy, a relatively quiet island from what we gathered despite the fact that at one point there were three ferries fighting over the pier! The clubhouse was very nicely done and the chance of a proper shower after days of showering in the sea and using our pet shower, was too much to resist! As we debated what to do the pontoon got busier, with a restaurant nearby and lovely scenery we can see why, so we untied leaving the space for others and headed 10 minutes away to an anchorage amongst the skerries. The anchorage wasn't suitable in the end but we found an anchorage of our own just nearby and stopped in the shelter of two islands near Rossoya. Heading to the beach for a BBQ before getting an early night with plans to move north in the morning. The anchorage proved sheltered and we fell asleep to the sound of the sheep bells as the sheep grazed near the boat.
Having made the decision to if weather allowed go back to Nordfjord, Melfjord we left Rossoya with a brief anchor at Luroy for a quick shop stop. Luroy proved to be very pretty and had we not made plans we would have liked to spend longer there. Not too long after leaving we could see the Arctic Circle monument through the Minox Binoculars, a little different to approaching it at over 20knots when it surprised us out of nowhere!
When we had arrived back in Papay after the first Norway trip we promised to come back, one of the places we had particularly wanted to come back to was Nordfjord, the northern offshoot of Melfjord, we had spent a few days there and found it absolutely breathtaking. So having made it this close we were keen to return and as we celebrated passing the Arctic Circle we turned in to Melfjord, which briefly took us south of the Arctic Circle again before the few miles further north. Memories of crossing the Arctic Circle and entering Nordfjord just a few hours short of two years to the day came rushing back and we could still feel the excitement at having met our goal back then.
The fjord itself has an intense icy green/blue water,but the temperatures were far from icy, spending a few days there the only comfort in the suns heat we could find was swimming in the bay, which also proved about the only escape from the clouds of midges/horseflys, which were the size of crows, or they certainly felt like it! The scenery within the fjord is astounding, vast fjord sides are difficult to bring in to scale, Svartisen glacier stands high above the mountains in the distance.
In the evenings when the sun had dropped below the mountain peaks and the layers of midge repellent either were working slightly or we were so intoxicated by the chemical stench we explored the hills. Climbing as high as we could above quickstep before being scuppered by steep cliff-like edges, exhausted by the mountaineering and heat in the air, we got a few pictures of the scenery but nothing could do it justice. We stopped to collect berries making a smoothie of cloudberries and blueberries, but were quickly chased out by the uninvited midge swarms!
We spoke to someone in the bay today who says that the midge/horsefly season lasts only 6 weeks but can certainly be full on for those days! We stumbled upon a cabin in the woods owned by an 85 year old man who spends time there in the summer cutting down trees for heating etc, must be a stunning place to have a cabin, closest neighbours Moose!
Today we made the decision to move on from Nordfjord, or else we could have stayed forever! It must surely be one of the most beautiful parts of Norway, or even the world!
Sad to leave we aimed close by just out of the main fjord on a small island called Renga, aiming to anchor for the night we found a pontoon for visiting boats within a scenic little cove. So here we are, again in another stunning part of the world, just getting the boat shipshape before we explore further. There is some poorer weather forecast over the next week so we may stay put, we will see!
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| Made it to the Arctic |
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| turquoise waters |
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| Quickstep at anchor, taken from above |
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| Quickstep from afar! |
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| Traditional Norwegian sailing yacht |
We wrote this a few days ago but haven't been able to find signal to send. We spent two nights at Renga another favourite stop! The island is no longer inhabitated, but in the few days we were there we did speak to someone whos Grandmother had lived there before the island was abandoned. There are still summer residences on the east of the island, but the pontoon was hidden away in its own little cove on the west. There was a marked walk to "the crux" war remains which hold some very brave stories. We also found loads of blueberries in the hills, lovely!
Now we are on our way north heading roughly towards Stott, which was our furthest North stop in Norway in 2014. When we make it that far north its all new ground, or seas! Exciting times!
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| Renga |
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| Quickstep at Renga |
We are now in Stott! more updates to follow, but we are having internet woes so this may take some time!
Our blog updates might come to a sudden stop unless we can find a more suitable way...
Last night we were exceptionally kindly treated to a delicious fish pasta pie from the pontoon owners, the nicest we have ever had! In the late evening two identical motorboats turned up, they were home builds and looked fantastic! Speaking to the crew aboard they kindly invited us for a wine. Lovely people again.
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| Quickstep at Stott guest pontoon, the island we reached in 2014 |
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