Returning to Troms county

With unusually gentle weather we could easily think winter might be many months away. This time last year this area already had wintry conditions for about a month now. In just a few short weeks temperatures can drop to low minus 20°C bringing deep and long lasting snow. Local opinion from hardened fishermen and indeed our own research suggests that further north might indeed be one step too far in mid October especially with a boat without main engine. Weather can change quickly and dramatically. We must not forget we are as far north as Alaska and many hundred miles north of Papay that itself hardly has warm winters!. Therefore with heavy hearts we set a slow course  back south. The weather wasn't too bad a we went back up Alta fjord and the occasional uncomfortable sea was easily taken in Quicksteps stride. At the top of the fjord we turned west away from Hammerfest and strangely north due to the direction taken by the sound.

Leaving Alta marina

Hills surrounding Alta

Alta disappearing in to the distance

Small community in Finnmark

Low clouds clinging to the top of hills

Even lower clouds cutting hills in two

At 70° 20.177 North we turned down towards Bergsfjord again and that probably will be as far north as we take this adventure, certainly for this year. We loved our weeks stay at Bergsfjord, the beautiful and quiet Finnmark village and so with friendly messages coming over the phone we tied up again in the marina. We have now been given the possibility of a permanent berth for winter here so it is quite likely we will spend a while in and around the dramatic landscape that surrounds the village.

Approaching Bergsfjord

Leaving Finnmark

Barren hills

Monday though in the early afternoon we set course around the Finnmark/Troms border to land again in Skjervoy. We have some provisioning to do and it is a usefully large town to buy electric heaters and some clothing. The distance of 25 miles or so also is exposed to the open sea, so watching for suitable weather saw us completing the last hour or so in the dark. Others too seemed to be following our lead and we had the Hurtigruten, a large 50m processing ship and a fishing boat all converging on the harbour at the same time as us! We knew with our AIS we would beat in the Hurtigruten and fishing boat by a good  few minutes, but the fish farm 50m ship was going to be a close call. We increased our speed to maximum (all relative at just under 6 knots!) and made it in ahead with her around 0.2 miles behind us! In the frozen evening we tied up under a glorious display of northern lights.

Fishing boat keeping us company between Finnmark and Troms counties

Vast spaces of empty hills, settlements are few and far between

Bye for now Finnmark

Stunning skies 

Sun setting leaving us in the dark 

Chased in by a big ship with northern lights above

-1 deg C frosting up the camera lens

Very bright Merry dancers, but even brighter marina lights!

Yesterday we walked around the town and shops also visiting the great library. Later in the day when the rain started (temperatures up to 9°C) we decided to go for a longer walk! We climbed back up above the town and had a picnic in the evening light sitting in the shelter up on the hill. The town looked lovely in the dark even in the rainy and windy night.