There was some sun promised, so we had to swap the gym with outdoor activities. Susan preferred to take the Sherpa Stairs to get a good bird view over Svolvær. I gave the Sykkel Interval Group under firm command of Hanna a miss and jumped on my real titanium beauty for a spinning to Henningsvær.
It is amazing, knowing that the sun will soon be gone for a while, how focused someone can be to maximize capturing the same. There is more sun promised this week including instant changes.
Fair winds…
It was clear case of multiple blessings in disguise, that the puncture happened after I very much enjoyed a short hike on Storøya, was then allowed to fix it at the historical trading place called Kalle i Lofoten and finally catching the bus JIT, with a 400m sprint, stopping along the E10 after the damned tyre got flat again.
There is some more dry weather forecasted for this week with sunny spells at actually max 9° angle above the horizon. We are now “loosing” approximately one hour daylight per week until the polar night will kick in.
The bike is cleaned and fixed with new tyre and tube, ready to go. The S-Works Tracer is an incredible tyre but only lasts about 2500km, admitting some abuse here an there on the gravelled stretches taken.
Fantastic ride with an unexpected return.
Fair winds…
It was a nice mixed week, weather wise and activity wise. They both go hand in and nowadays. The sunny days allowed us to test our new drysuit on short trips within the harbour boundaries keeping the rescue boat at arm’s length. It feels very comfortable and much safer paddling in this catwalk matching design and quality marked dress. Water temperature is around 8°C by now, air temperature slighly below that not including chill. One layer of Woolpower 200 makes it warm and cosy under the Gore-Tex skin. Optimization on feet and hands ongoing.
Cracking my mind was required to get into the saddle for a ride. I hesitated a lot but once out there it soon felt being back in paradise. Additional motivation was granted by Erik the Viking, jogging towards my way. His stature of a Viking appeared to me broader than half of the shared track but we got along nicely.
Puzzling was also his outfit, short pans and shirt! Not a sign of any irritation in his warm and trustworthy face. I pushed myself harder to get warmer.
Arriving in Kalle Vestre – heaven on earth – I met Eline. She was out getting the studded winter tyres onto her car. We had a very nice chat and I learned more about this fascinating place consisting of four houses. The horses where out for a ride. While our voices started shivering it was time to move on, heading back. At the time I made it to the sauna, my toes were without any other feeling left except sweet pain. The rest of the body was wet and dirty outside but dry and warm inside. Looking forward to the next bike ride through this wild, mystic, partly alien looking scenery.
A daytrip by Bus – Ferry – Bus – Havila Voyages took us to the Hurtigruten Museum in Stokmarknes, where it all began in 1893, by coincident the same year Frifjof Nansen set off with his Fram Expedition to reach the North Pole.
The museum not only incorporates the complete shipping line’s history exhibited inside and around of the life-size MS Finnmark built by Blohm & Voss AG in 1956. The visitor also get an impression about travelling in 1993, the year this vessel was taken out of service.
It also becomes evident, that this unique shipping line remains close to the heart of the Norwegian people. Havila Polaris, one of the most modern vessels operating on the Hurtigruten Express Way today, took us back to Svolvær, via Raftsund and Trollfjord.
Under nautical twilight conditions, we entered the Trollfjord. The Captain decides on the spot, if the entry will be done or not, weather depending. We were lucky, even seeing one of the sea eagles, large in its size and majestic in its movement. Impressive. Back in Svolvær, we were still a bit puzzled.
Fair winds…
The whole week offered only one acceptable window for outdoor activities. Although the sky cleared now and then over night, it was misserable the rest of the time and we hardly dared to stick our heads out of our cosy tiny floating home. If we did, it was a short walk into town for shopping, sauna or the gym. Gales hand in hand passing through.
October is the wettest month in Lofoten and so far, it lives up to it. Once the sky clears, the beauty is back.
Fair winds…
Sundays are normally quite in this part of the world. Apart from the tourist boats operating as usual (weather permitting) shops are generally closed. I have met a few Asians looking a bit irritated not understanding, why the Alti Shopping Mall is completely locked up. Same for grocery supermarkets.
The ongoing gale provided a dramatic sky over Gardsosen, which is one of the lakes surrounding Svolvær.
Fair winds…
We are settling in at Svolvær under mixed weather conditions keeping the Hallberg-Rassy brand up at highest levels. Mira and Toine from SY SeaQuest (HR48) joined us second time for a short stopover before proceeding to their winter berth further north. We are in good company.
Days are planned around the weather and we maximise our time and activties outdoor whenever the sun comes out.
Fair winds…
Passing along this road sign keeps reminding me at my Singaporean days, where we got guided by the slogan “Be Considerate!“ at the time they refused to close a walk-bike-lane for bikers during a running event, for example. It worked, although I ended up among the runners crowd for a short while standing next to my bike until it was over and I could cycle on. Everyone was safe & happy.
Well, today I was on a special mission – checking out Hopen Leading Light, a navigational sign, where boating meets biking. I spotted this tiny building some time back and wondered since then what it is about until the penny dropped.
Once I found the entry point into the track it was not long and I had to park the bike in order to proceed the muddy track up the hill towards Øvre Hopen. Together with Nedre Hopen they both create a leading straight line into the Hopen Fjord as a navigational help for ships in and out.
The valley is called Trolldalen and the track leads up to the lake Trolldalsvatnet, which remains on the list. Next time I get the water tight boots on to explore the lake further.
There is never nothing to discover.
Fair winds…
We have completed our heatpump project over the last couple of days and can now produce approximately 6kW of heat from 2kW electricity, keeping our tiny floating home warm and cosy. Oil radiators and the diesel air heater will compliment the overall onboard heating regime to ensure alternatives.
After some miserable rainy days, the sun came back today and invited for a short bikeride to one of the secondary lakes within the Kabelvåg plaines. It is also a cross-country skiing area with a serviced Skihytta open from January to April.
Last night was an exceptional cold night. The ambient temperature was first time down to 7°C and got back to 12°C later the day. The sun makes a difference and we still get 20°C inside the boat during the day. The sauna after the ride feels like heaven until jumping into the 13°C cold water.
Fair winds…
Svolvær’s backcountry is surounded by four main lakes, namely: Leirospollen, Lille Kongsvatnet, Nedre Svolværvatnet and Gardsosen. Some of them are connected via streams, rivers or barrages to further lakes, differently impacted by the tide. My assessment today concludes, that all of them are inviting for more kayaking. Let’s see.
It looks like the weather is reaching another turning point coming week, similar to last years’ recorded trends. 3-5°C less temperature and perhaps a bit more intensified sun/cloud/shower mix.
Overall, we can’t complain.
Fair winds…
It was the first ferry at 7:20am taking me to the mainland and promising me six hours of sunshine before the sky gets grey. There was a primary school class already on that ferry at that early time returning after a night on Skrova. Well, I need to get my morning routine in order…
Arriving in Kalle, Oddmar, made this ride very special. A former teacher and today a retired nature lover, sitting on a rock at the river near Kallevatnet. 5 cameras in place, 4 GoPro in the river under water and 1 Rollei on a tripod above. The cameras counting fish and its movements. Being in the third year now, he starts to believe his research might finally indicate, that the herring is more robust against water temperature increase while the trout moves to colder waters, up the river. After a million more questions, I had to move on. Inspiring.
Oddmar also identified more than 130 different plants at this garden eden kind of place. We agreed to catch up in Svolvær later in the year over coffee & cake.
Out of the 32km in total, around 15km were a pure intake of natural nutrients. The eagle, the mussels pickers, the sheer plaines, etc.
Lateron I met young fellow biker Oskar in the sauna, a student from Hanover on a solo bikepacking tour before hitting the books back home. Almost missed my return ferry back…
Fair winds…
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