We have turned around and are heading back west along the south coast of Norway. We went as far east as Arendal where our mission was to fill our North American propane bottles. This is a problem in much of Europe. Calor Gas have a monopoly in the distribution of propane in the UK and will only sell it in one of their exchangeable tanks. A similar situation exists in most of the EU. On the west coast of Norway this was the case, but a company on the east coast offers a filling service and also propane gas for commercial use in trucks, cabs etc. This company, LPNorge, is expanding its distribution service and has recently opened in Arendal. So we left there with three full tanks, enough for this and next summer.
The 42 mile leg from Mandal to Arendal was a bit of a blast. We went offshore and roared along, wing-and-wing, triple reefed main and half a genoa, with a Force 5-7 westerly making hull speed for hours on end under bright high pressure sunshine. This was all very well, but served to emphasis that the prevailing wind at this time of the year is either southwest or northwest and we have to get back east to Scotland. So, for the past week we have been wending our way eastward through the inner passages of the offshore islands. These intricate waterways are the summer playground for many Norwegians. There are big and small summer cottages everywhere and everyone, adults and children, has a boat, a power boat ranging from 30-35 foot sleek machines (think, James Bond) to high speed dinghies and ribs with what is often an outsized outboard. And they love to roar around, sometimes just for the hell of it. For us slow pokes, often struggling to figure out which route to take amongst the skerries, it can be a bit unnerving. That said we found some perfect sheltered anchorages in the outer islands often in island clusters that had been set aside as public parks. One, with the typically unpronounceable Norwegian name of Aalesolya, stands out. The entrance to the inner pool was via a circular passage that wound around the inner ring of islands, over several only seven foot deep bars (we draw 6.5 feet), and finally into a two hundred yard wide pool with a sand bottom. Bliss! We spent three days there and had some lovely hikes over the low, lightly wooded, often smooth rocked islands, or rowing quietly through the narrow passages out to the Lighthouse on the eastern edge.
Kristiansand is a bustling city, the fifth largest in Norway, and a lovely place to wander around admiring the old wooden houses and churches. It is the tourist centre of the South and every day there are one or more gigantic cruise ships in the harbour. Kristiansand is a natural stopping place for foreign yachts and the city has built a marina in the centre of the town just for visitors. Like everything in Norway, the marina and facilities are of a high standard but expensive.
Monday, 30 July 2012
Friday, 20 July 2012
Korshavn
In the two weeks since we last posted a report we have had a lovely time wandering down the coast from Bergen to the southern tip of Norway and are now anchored in a pool amongst the islands at the southern entrance to Korshavn, an old fishing village in a narrow cut between two islands. We had thought to tie to the village visitor's dock, but one look said that the cut was just too narrow. Far safer to anchor outside and go in by dinghy. It was like driving down the main street of a little town except that the street was a water-way with brightly painted houses, docks and boathouse on either side and at the head, the post office, mini-super market, gas dock and bank. The old fishermen have long gone and their neat wooden houses have been renovated up for summer visitors, mostly it seemed from Germany, who come here for sports fishing. At the head of the "street" is a little marina with twenty-odd identical outboard driven boats for rent. On the dock are stainless-steel benches and trays for cleaning the daily catch.
Coming south from Bergen we had a choice of numerous possible routes amongst the myriad of islands and skerries. It would be easy to get lost without a computer mapping program linked to the GPS. Each night we found a perfect anchorage usually in a pool created by a group of islands. Several were in public parks that included tie off points on the rocks, or docks, along with park benches and hiking trails. Norwegian's don't seem to like anchoring. They prefer to drop a stern anchor, run the a line ashore and haul the bow to the rocks and jump ashore. It is a learned art and not for Taonui with her high bow and 'senior' crew! In one anchorage we watched a total of 12 men spend almost an hour trying to secure two power boats in this manner. There were already six other boats tied to the shore so there was plenty of advice given as anchors were dropped and retrieved, boats bounced on rocks, and then repositioned by inflatable's acting as pushing tug boats. Anchors were reset but too far from shore or mis-aligned with the on-shore tie points. There was much not-so-quiet Norwegian shouting. Finally the bigger of the two boats was sort of in place but his buddy could only get his bow against his friends stern. He had run out of anchor chain! He raised his hands above his head and signaled to his wife, now on shore in the dinghy, that he had given up. This was as good as it was going to get.
At the end of all these waterways is Stavanger after which all south-bound traffic must go offshore to reach the southern tip of Norway. This stretch of the coast can be treacherous and has a reputation for strong winds and currents. But there are several places where a yacht can run in and shelter behind islands. Korshavn is one such shelter. The entrance from the south or west, as we came, is a twisting and turning channel amongst smooth weather-beaten islands and underwater rocks marked by stakes with top markers of arrows pointing to the right side on which to pass.
Stavanger is the third largest city in Norway. It was once a major fishing port and Hanseatic trading centre with strong links to the Shetland's and Orkney's which were once part of Norway. Today Stavanger is the service centre for Norway's offshore oil and gas extraction industry. The coastline leading into Stavanger is lined with warehouses and factories fabricating strange looking steel shapes for the drilling rigs and huge docks for the fleet of 250 foot long strange looking service vessels that shuttle parts and equipment to the rigs and act as safety patrol around the rigs. It was these vessels that "escorted" us through the rigs as we crossed the Norwegian Sea. This is BIG business. Norway has only .6% of the world's known oil reserves and 1.6% of the world's gas reserves. But for tiny Norway (4.8 million people) this is an enormous asset. Norway is the world's fifth largest exporter of oil. The industry employs 200,000 people, accounts for 50% of Norway's exports, 36% of the Government's income and 25% of GDP. Oil was discovered in 1969 and production started in 1971. The Norwegian's have been smart. They know it will not last forever. In 1972 the Government decreed that the industry had to be managed to serve the long term interests of all Norwegian's. Oil and gas earnings beyond current needs are set aside in a transparent Government fund that now stands at around 350 billion dollars. By law, only the income of this fund can be spent each year. To date most income is re-invested. This "sovereign" fund owns around 1% of the value of the world's stock markets. Norway is cognizant of the moral conflict between it's oil based wealth and threat posed by carbon emissions. Norway is the world's largest contributor to campaigns to prompt re-afforestation throughout the world.
Stavanger is also a great tourist attraction, especially for cruise ships. On each of the three days that we were there were two HUGE 2,500 - 3,000 passenger monsters on the docks at each side of the narrow harbour. They only stay one night, but each day around five thousand tourists hit the town to wonder through the narrow winding hilly streets where the old wooden buildings have been converted to swanky shops and eateries. The Cathedral is well worth visiting. The old part of the Cathedral is similar in style to the one in Lerwick, Shetland with massive stone Gothic columns. It sits on a hill looking over a wide public square that runs down into the harbour. For us the best part of the square was the fish market and each night we went back to the boat with lovely fresh shrimp, salmon or cod. As an aside note the cod fishery in the Lofoten Islands in northern Norway is recording record catches. Seems that the warming of the oceans is having some beneficial effects somewhere.
Coming south from Bergen we had a choice of numerous possible routes amongst the myriad of islands and skerries. It would be easy to get lost without a computer mapping program linked to the GPS. Each night we found a perfect anchorage usually in a pool created by a group of islands. Several were in public parks that included tie off points on the rocks, or docks, along with park benches and hiking trails. Norwegian's don't seem to like anchoring. They prefer to drop a stern anchor, run the a line ashore and haul the bow to the rocks and jump ashore. It is a learned art and not for Taonui with her high bow and 'senior' crew! In one anchorage we watched a total of 12 men spend almost an hour trying to secure two power boats in this manner. There were already six other boats tied to the shore so there was plenty of advice given as anchors were dropped and retrieved, boats bounced on rocks, and then repositioned by inflatable's acting as pushing tug boats. Anchors were reset but too far from shore or mis-aligned with the on-shore tie points. There was much not-so-quiet Norwegian shouting. Finally the bigger of the two boats was sort of in place but his buddy could only get his bow against his friends stern. He had run out of anchor chain! He raised his hands above his head and signaled to his wife, now on shore in the dinghy, that he had given up. This was as good as it was going to get.
At the end of all these waterways is Stavanger after which all south-bound traffic must go offshore to reach the southern tip of Norway. This stretch of the coast can be treacherous and has a reputation for strong winds and currents. But there are several places where a yacht can run in and shelter behind islands. Korshavn is one such shelter. The entrance from the south or west, as we came, is a twisting and turning channel amongst smooth weather-beaten islands and underwater rocks marked by stakes with top markers of arrows pointing to the right side on which to pass.
Stavanger is the third largest city in Norway. It was once a major fishing port and Hanseatic trading centre with strong links to the Shetland's and Orkney's which were once part of Norway. Today Stavanger is the service centre for Norway's offshore oil and gas extraction industry. The coastline leading into Stavanger is lined with warehouses and factories fabricating strange looking steel shapes for the drilling rigs and huge docks for the fleet of 250 foot long strange looking service vessels that shuttle parts and equipment to the rigs and act as safety patrol around the rigs. It was these vessels that "escorted" us through the rigs as we crossed the Norwegian Sea. This is BIG business. Norway has only .6% of the world's known oil reserves and 1.6% of the world's gas reserves. But for tiny Norway (4.8 million people) this is an enormous asset. Norway is the world's fifth largest exporter of oil. The industry employs 200,000 people, accounts for 50% of Norway's exports, 36% of the Government's income and 25% of GDP. Oil was discovered in 1969 and production started in 1971. The Norwegian's have been smart. They know it will not last forever. In 1972 the Government decreed that the industry had to be managed to serve the long term interests of all Norwegian's. Oil and gas earnings beyond current needs are set aside in a transparent Government fund that now stands at around 350 billion dollars. By law, only the income of this fund can be spent each year. To date most income is re-invested. This "sovereign" fund owns around 1% of the value of the world's stock markets. Norway is cognizant of the moral conflict between it's oil based wealth and threat posed by carbon emissions. Norway is the world's largest contributor to campaigns to prompt re-afforestation throughout the world.
Stavanger is also a great tourist attraction, especially for cruise ships. On each of the three days that we were there were two HUGE 2,500 - 3,000 passenger monsters on the docks at each side of the narrow harbour. They only stay one night, but each day around five thousand tourists hit the town to wonder through the narrow winding hilly streets where the old wooden buildings have been converted to swanky shops and eateries. The Cathedral is well worth visiting. The old part of the Cathedral is similar in style to the one in Lerwick, Shetland with massive stone Gothic columns. It sits on a hill looking over a wide public square that runs down into the harbour. For us the best part of the square was the fish market and each night we went back to the boat with lovely fresh shrimp, salmon or cod. As an aside note the cod fishery in the Lofoten Islands in northern Norway is recording record catches. Seems that the warming of the oceans is having some beneficial effects somewhere.
Monday, 16 July 2012
Bergen, Norway
Our last report was from Burra Voe at the south end of the island of Yell in the Shetlands. It was a tough slog north from there to Baltasound at the north end of Unst, the northernmost of the Shetland Islands. We miss-timed the tide and left too early in the morning so the first 5 hours were a bash against the tide making only 3 knots over the ground into steep short seas. Once around the eastern corner of Yell we could lay off, the tide turned, the seas smoothed out and we had a fast sail the last 15 miles to Baltasound. In the late 1800's the summer population of Balta would increase by 8,000 people who came to catch and process herring. There is still a thriving farming community and until 2006 a large number of personnel employed at the RAF station at nearby Haroldswick guarding the Northern Approaches to the U.K.
A change of weather and E - SE winds brought thick fog and we looked liked being stuck in Baltasound for a week or more. From here we were heading due east to Norway. The early July 5 forecast called for very light east winds, backing NE, then north. Too good to pass up, so we left in thick fog which stayed with us for 80 miles while we motored across smooth seas. Early that night, around 11 PM, we passed through a part of the UK's offshore oil and gas field. Eight huge, brightly lit, multi storied platforms. Some belching flame and smoke, and in the water off each was a 200ft. patrol, safety ship that pointedly came up to our course and, without a word, firmly indicated that we were not to get any closer to their platform. Early morning brought the promised NE wind and we had a great beautiful beam reach for the last fifty miles to Holmengraa Light marking an easy entry through the outer islands. It took a bit of hunting to find an anchorage with enough swinging room and a reasonable depth. Finally, at 6 Pm we dropped anchor in 80 feet in what felt like good mud and after a good G&T and a quick supper, fell into our bunks.
The next day brought warm sun and a light following NE wind to give a lovely easy sail twenty miles down to Bergen where we are rafted three out in the inner harbour right in the middle of beautiful Bergen. On the road opposite us is a row of three storey brightly painted wooden houses built in the 1700's. Tourists are thick on the ground. When we arrived there were four cruise ships in the outer harbour.
The main street is about 50 yards wide, no cars allowed, musicians and art displays encouraged. Lots of fancy shops to look at, but no expectation of buying. Norway is expensive, even for Europeans. A beer and a glass of cider costs $20 CDN. At the head of the harbour is the local market selling fruit, vegetables and souvenirs as well as a huge variety of fish and shellfish. Yes, we bought a generous piece of gravlaks (at huge expense) for our first night's supper, along with reindeer salami and fresh local strawberries....that blew our weekly food budget but what a treat.
A change of weather and E - SE winds brought thick fog and we looked liked being stuck in Baltasound for a week or more. From here we were heading due east to Norway. The early July 5 forecast called for very light east winds, backing NE, then north. Too good to pass up, so we left in thick fog which stayed with us for 80 miles while we motored across smooth seas. Early that night, around 11 PM, we passed through a part of the UK's offshore oil and gas field. Eight huge, brightly lit, multi storied platforms. Some belching flame and smoke, and in the water off each was a 200ft. patrol, safety ship that pointedly came up to our course and, without a word, firmly indicated that we were not to get any closer to their platform. Early morning brought the promised NE wind and we had a great beautiful beam reach for the last fifty miles to Holmengraa Light marking an easy entry through the outer islands. It took a bit of hunting to find an anchorage with enough swinging room and a reasonable depth. Finally, at 6 Pm we dropped anchor in 80 feet in what felt like good mud and after a good G&T and a quick supper, fell into our bunks.
The next day brought warm sun and a light following NE wind to give a lovely easy sail twenty miles down to Bergen where we are rafted three out in the inner harbour right in the middle of beautiful Bergen. On the road opposite us is a row of three storey brightly painted wooden houses built in the 1700's. Tourists are thick on the ground. When we arrived there were four cruise ships in the outer harbour.
The main street is about 50 yards wide, no cars allowed, musicians and art displays encouraged. Lots of fancy shops to look at, but no expectation of buying. Norway is expensive, even for Europeans. A beer and a glass of cider costs $20 CDN. At the head of the harbour is the local market selling fruit, vegetables and souvenirs as well as a huge variety of fish and shellfish. Yes, we bought a generous piece of gravlaks (at huge expense) for our first night's supper, along with reindeer salami and fresh local strawberries....that blew our weekly food budget but what a treat.
Monday, 9 July 2012
Bergen, Norway
Our last report was from Burra Voe at the south end of the island of Yell in the Shetlands. It was a tough slog north from there to Baltasound at the north end of Unst, the northernmost of the Shetland Islands. We miss-timed the tide and left too early in the morning so the first 5 hours were a bash against the tide making only 3 knots over the ground into steep short seas. Once around the eastern corner of Yell we could lay off, the tide turned, the seas smoothed out and we had a fast sail the last 15 miles to Baltasound. In the late 1800's the summer population of Balta would increase by 8,000 people who came to catch and process herring. There is still a thriving farming community and until 2006 a large number of personnel employed at the RAF station at nearby Haroldswick guarding the Northern Approaches to the U.K.
A change of weather and E - SE winds brought thick fog and we looked liked being stuck in Baltasound for a week or more. From here we were heading due east to Norway. The early July 5 forecast called for very light east winds, backing NE, then north. Too good to pass up, so we left in thick fog which stayed with us for 80 miles while we motored across smooth seas. Early that night, around 11 PM, we passed through a part of the UK's offshore oil and gas field. Eight huge, brightly lit, multi storied platforms. Some belching flame and smoke, and in the water off each was a 200ft. patrol, safety ship that pointedly came up to our course and, without a word, firmly indicated that we were not to get any closer to their platform. Early morning brought the promised NE wind and we had a great beautiful beam reach for the last fifty miles to Holmengraa Light marking an easy entry through the outer islands. It took a bit of hunting to find an anchorage with enough swinging room and a reasonable depth. Finally, at 6 Pm we dropped anchor in 80 feet in what felt like good mud and after a good G&T and a quick supper, fell into our bunks.
The next day brought warm sun and a light following NE wind to give a lovely easy sail twenty miles down to Bergen where we are rafted three out in the inner harbour right in the middle of beautiful Bergen. On the road opposite us is a row of three storey brightly painted wooden houses built in the 1700's. Tourists are thick on the ground. When we arrived there were four cruise ships in the outer harbour.
The main street is about 50 yards wide, no cars allowed, musicians and art displays encouraged. Lots of fancy shops to look at, but no expectation of buying. Norway is expensive, even for Europeans. A beer and a glass of cider costs $20 CDN. At the head of the harbour is the local market selling fruit, vegetables and souvenirs as well as a huge variety of fish and shellfish. Yes, we bought a generous piece of gravlaks (at huge expense) for our first night's supper, along with reindeer salami and fresh local strawberries....that blew our weekly food budget but what a treat.
Monday, 2 July 2012
Burra Voe, South end of Yell
Last Thursday we had to get out of Scalloway to find shelter from a forecast gale from the east. We shot over to Skeld, only 5 miles away, and rode it out. Ashore we found the UK's northernmost cheese factory a one man operation processing local cow and goat milk. Very tasty too. On Saturday we sailed north and west to the remote Island of Papa Stour (Island of the Priests). Viking history recounts that there were Celtic monks there in the 6th Century. If so, they must have been a hardy lot. Even the sheep had to lean sideways to stay upright in the wind on the western side. The next day we sailed around the wild western side of the island where the constant pounding of the North Atlantic waves on the 200ft+ high cliffs has created an amazing display of arches, caves and stacks. The wind was 15 knots from the NW and the swells had been building for several days, so the whole scene was one of unrelenting force - crashing waves, white spray against black cliffs, deeply troubled waters, and above wheeling birds, pure whites and blacks against the blue sky. The flood tide was against us, but soon it changed and we carried the ebb up the coast and around the north end of Mainland Shetland Island. Great sailing. Close reach, small genoa, and two reefs, but it was a long tiring, though memorable, day and a relief to get onto the leeside of the Island and into a quiet anchorage.
Today were took advantage of the morning flood tide to run down the Sound of Yell where the tide can run up to 7 knots between the scattering of islands and reefs. Around the Shetlands you have to go with the tide. Sometimes it can run at 7 knots at "springs" and the overfalls at headlands etc. can be awful. The Sound is well marked and charted as it is the route for tanker traffic taking oil out of Sullom Voe Oil Terminal which is the landing point of a pipeline from the North Sea Piper Oil field. At times we were making over 10 knots over the ground even though all we had up was the small genoa with the wind behind us.
From here we plan to sail north up to the north end of the Island of Unst where we have heard there are some interesting museums displaying the boats and times of the booming herring fishery in the late 1800's. At the north end of Unst is Muckle Flugga, the northernmost point of the UK.
Today were took advantage of the morning flood tide to run down the Sound of Yell where the tide can run up to 7 knots between the scattering of islands and reefs. Around the Shetlands you have to go with the tide. Sometimes it can run at 7 knots at "springs" and the overfalls at headlands etc. can be awful. The Sound is well marked and charted as it is the route for tanker traffic taking oil out of Sullom Voe Oil Terminal which is the landing point of a pipeline from the North Sea Piper Oil field. At times we were making over 10 knots over the ground even though all we had up was the small genoa with the wind behind us.
From here we plan to sail north up to the north end of the Island of Unst where we have heard there are some interesting museums displaying the boats and times of the booming herring fishery in the late 1800's. At the north end of Unst is Muckle Flugga, the northernmost point of the UK.
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