the arctic = rorbuer :: dried cod :: sea kayaking :: midnight sun

I spent the past week on an unbelievable trip to Lofoten, in Northern Norway, 1000km or so north of Oslo. Lofoten is an archipelago, north of the Arctic Circle, at the 67th and 68th degree parallels. There are seven main islands with a total of 24,000 inhabitants (we spent a majority of our time on Moskenesøy).

North of the arctic circle you say? The weather is actually quite mild due to the warm Gulf Stream. I would guess the temperature was between 6-11°C in the daytime. We left Lofoten just before the time of the true midnight sun, which is above the horizon from around May 27 to July 17. We experienced the 11:30pm sun, which I can assure you is equally as amazing. In the winter, from December 4 to January 7, the sun does not rise at all, referred to as polar nights.

There is almost too much to recount from our adventures on this trip. I will include some entries from my daily log to sum up.

Wednesday May 20, 2009 Oslo to Bodø
Wake up around 6am after 2-4 hour of sleep. Take the tram at 6:35am. Walk to the bus station downtown to catch 7:15am bus to Rygge Airport (120NOK). After a short flight arrive in Bodø. We take a taxi (115 NOK) to campground. Rent a cabin in Bodø at Bodøsjøen Camping, about 3km from the airport, close to Saltenfjord. It is foggy, green and misty. Walk to shopping center for lunch/dinner/breakfast materials. Later the sun comes out and I can see the snowy mountain peaks. Go for a walk to downtown Bodø. Bodø (city of the sea eagle), population 46,000 has an extremely underutilized waterfront and we are not impressed with the downtown.
Have dinner at the cabin: salmon with vegetables.


Thursday May 21, 2009 Bodø to Å (Moskenes øya, Lofoten)
After a nice breakfast we pack up and head to the ferry dock around 3pm. Catch the 4:30 ferry to Moskenes. As we near Lofoten the sun breaks through the clouds and bathes the grey blue jagged mountains in bright yellow light. Arrive in the arctic around 8:30pm. The town surrounding the ferry dock is quite dead, we take a taxi van with several other travelers to Å (a small village with the name of the last letter of the Norwegian alphabet). The small village consists of a cluster of red clapboard rorbuer (fisherman's cabins), a small supermarket, bakery and a few museums for tourists. Check out a hostel, decide to camp instead. Hike up past the drying racks of cod and find a mostly flat spot to camp. A light rain begins as we pitch our tent. Upon discovering the grocery store is closed we eat lettuce with pear out of a bag, classy and resourceful. We have dinner at 10pm under bright skies.

Friday May 22, 2009 Å
I open the tent to a sunny, beautiful day overlooking the fjord to the southeast and mainland Norway far in the distance. We have breakfast (brødshiver, yogurt) on a rock overlooking the small collection of houses in Å. Walk into the small town in the afternoon for groceries and postcards. Have cookies and coffee on a picnic bench.
Head out on a hike at 2pm. We walk west and climb until we can see clear to the ocean to the northwest. Reach the summit around 5pm- absolutely beautiful. A muddy walk back. Attempt to grill salmon on an engangsgrill for dinner- to marginal success.


Saturday May 23, 2009 Å to Reine / Hamnøy
Sonder of Reine Adventure picks us up at bus stop in Å at 2pm. Immediately we can tell Sonder and friend Trevor are great guys, helpful, knowledgeable and fun. Sonder gives us a ride to his business in Reine, 14km from Å.
Head out for some kayaking at 3pm. At 4:30pm the sun begins to shine and the water is the most unbelievable shades of blue- similar only to the colors I’ve seen in the Mediterranean and Caribbean.
Dock the kayaks and grocery shop. Chat with Sonder for a bit, he shows us pictures of his expeditions in Morocco.
Have guacamole, pizza and beers at our rorbu (fisherman’s cabin) in Hamnøy (Eliassen Rorbuer)

Sunday May 24, 2009 Hamnøy to Utakleiv
Have a leisurely breakfast: an omelette followed by a few hands of Euchre.
I walk down to the water and around the rorbuer. The colors are brilliant- the red and ochre of the rorbuer, blue sky and grey green craggy mountains. We pack up and head to reception around 2pm. We receive some great advice from the man working there as we are deciding on our plans. We take a rowboat out for a bit.
We depart for Lofoten Rent a car. Have lunch (fish burger and a coke) outside at a picnic table. Explore the fish drying racks. Head out on a beautiful drive along the E10. Hit the breaks as we enter Ramberg and discover the most amazing white sand beach. Stop at a JVA railing project along the road. Have dinner at La Dolce Vita. I have pesto and shrimp pasta. We have espresso, dessert and play cards in big comfortable chairs. As we continue on our drive the light turns warm around 10pm. We take a long walk along the water near a campsite, watching the nearly-midnight sun. We choose a campsite, but decide to move after a man in a tractor comes by to point out falling rock. Pitch our tents again closer to the water.


Monday May 25, 2009 Utakleiv to Hamnøy
Make a quick exit out of Utakleiv at noon after a night of wind and rain. Head to the ‘commercial center’, Leknes. Have pastries and coffee at a Bakeri. Make plans for next two days- decide to all return to Reine and stay at the Eliassen Rorbuer. It is a miserable day weather wise and we are all tired. Grocery shop and pile back into the ‘fish car’ to head to Reine. It pours down rain. The sky is a smoky grey. There are small white caps in the water, dark grey green mountains rising behind with white pickets of snow.
Back in Reine at the rorbuer we have a delicious dinner of white fish, mashed potatoes, salad, white wine.

Tuesday May 26, 2009 Hamnøy to Evenes
Pack up and leave the rorbu to catch bus to Svolvær. Stop in Lekenes briefly.
Stop in Svolvær for a few hours. The ‘commercial center’ is much nicer than Lekenes. We head to a mall for lunch. Brødshiver: shrimp, avocado, brie on rolls.
Bus from Svolvær to Evenes airport, four-hour ride.
We attempt to change our flight to this evening.
Camp on a rocky patch of ground in a field near the airport.
Have brødshiver in the tent, play some Euchre.

Wednesday May 27, 2009 Evenes to Oslo
The rock fields ends up to be the best night of camping we’ve had yet.
Pack up and head to the airport at 10am. Return to Oslo, so grateful to have seen such a beautiful part of the world.