Arctic Traverse: Lofoten

On September 7th, 2022, we awoke with the Endurance docked at the port of Reine, on the largest of the Lofoten Islands.

It may not look like it, but we are still north of the Arctic Circle!

This was the view towards the interior. (Click on the image to enlarge.)

We had the morning free to wander around the town, but Joan and I first listened to Serguei, one of the Lindblad staff, discuss the centuries-old cod fishing industry, without which the islands would be of little note. Their location between the Barents Sea and the warm Atlantic currents lures the cod here yearly for breeding. These wooden racks are where the cod are dried for shipment.

Then we continued on a loop around the inner harbor, walking alongside the road.

Sometimes we could spot our ship on the far side.

There appeared to be no dry route circling back to the Endurance, so eventually Joan and I turned around and wandered through the village. On our way back to the ship, we heard that one of our number had fallen and perhaps had a stroke. When we arrived at the dock, we could see an ambulance, and indeed one couple disembarked gingerly, were helped into the ambulance along with their luggage, and headed to medical facilities.

Also parked at the dock was a "folkehogskole" van.

A folkehogskole, or "folk high school," is a post-high school institution, without grades or exams, that welcomes international students; there is a track for non-Norwegian speakers and a normal line, but you would be expected to learn enough Norwegian to keep up with conversations.

 

The bow of our ship showed some old rust and a shiny new spot from yesterday's adventure at Trollfjorden. Both would be cleaned up soon.

The Endurance then sailed a few miles to the islet of Vaeroya, part of the Lofoten archipelago. The small village of Mostad, where the ship anchored, was abandoned in the 1950s.

A long uphill hike, shorter hikes, and a photography walk were offered. Joan and I went on the uphill hike, a challenging altitude gain along a narrow path beaten through high, wet grasses sprinkled with mud, rocks, and a steep drop if you weren't careful. Joan and I were thankful for our poles. We were grateful for the rewarding view at the top, too.

Our gang. From up here, we could see sea eagles and falcons even higher up.

Photographic scenes beckoned in every direction.

The furthest peak hosted a radar dome. (Norway has been a NATO member for a long time.)

Below, we could see zodiacs ferrying the other guests back to the ship.

Then it was time to go back down. While the hike up had been sweaty and troublesome, the hike back down was treacherous. I lost my footing twice, but to no ill effect other than to my dignity. The sun was drawing closer to the sea as we descended.

The islets to the east were donning their evening cloaks.

Everyone made it down to the zodiacs safely. When I removed my calf-high rubber boots, I discovered a bloodstain in one sock. Evidently, the chaotic surface of our route had jammed one toenail into the side of an adjacent toe. The injury cleaned up well and posed no further problems.

Dinner was a special treat after our "long hike" efforts.

Arctic Traverse: Tysfjord and Trollfjorden

On the morning of September 6th, 2022, the Endurance was sailing down the lengthy Tysfjord towards the Stabburselva hiking area at the far end. We were just north of the Arctic Circle.

The ship came to a halt, and we disembarked via zodiac for a "wet landing" on the beach, where several groups coalesced, each accompanied by staff: those interested in a long hike, called "long hikers," those more interested in a shorter hike, and those interested in photography. Joan and I changed into our hiking boots and joined the long hikers. We all kept our distance from the summer homes, not wishing to offend the people living here.

After the first climb we looked back at the settlement and our ship. (Click on the image to enlarge.)

The expedition videographer took this shot.

For a while, the walk was a jaunt in the woods.

After a bit more climbing we reached a stepped waterfall that blanketed bare rock faces.

Then we really began to climb up the wet path. The red paint strokes mark the trail, which was sometimes obscure.

Sometimes we paused to regroup and catch our breath. The guide picked viewpoints for this, of course.

Rather than cut into the stone, our path was built atop the outcrops we passed.

Sweden was just a few kilometers ahead.

We stopped at a good place to halt and admire the panoramic view before turning around to keep to the ship's schedule.

Back aboard the Endurance, we were ready for lunch and a presentation by my favorite guest speaker, Kathy Sullivan, a veteran of three space shuttle missions and the first woman to visit the deepest spot in all the oceans, the Challenger Deep.

Our next fjord was Trollfjorden, notable for how steep, how almost vertical the sides of the fjord were.

Captain Kruess picked his spot to turn the Endurance towards the wall of the fjord, and we crept forward. The maneuver was a stiff challenge because, as the photos have revealed, the most forward part of the ship is at the waterline, an inverted or x-bow. In a traditional vessel, a guest at the front of the bow could reach out and grab foliage.

Here, the excitement lay in seeing how close the captain was willing to go.

We heard a soft scrape and felt a mild shudder; only then did our ship back off. Now dinner time was approaching, and the Endurance began to sail towards the Lofoten Islands, tomorrow's destination -- still above the Arctic Circle.