Utvorda - Skeishamna
Since we just passed Rørvik, we present this picture of the SAR boat RS126 "Harald V" on its way to the base in Rørvik.
The first day with fair wind in 3 weeks! Broad on the beam at 7-8 kts to the island Leka, also know as the red island.
In the harbour Skeishamna on the island we could enjoy dinner in the cockpit in a beautiful evening sun.
Skeishamna - Straumøya
Still sunny and we are reaching to Brønnøysund to do get some supplies. The hole in Torghatten was inspected from a distance. (The little white speck to the right of the midlle in the picture!
Today's H. ( Hurtigrute or Costal express) was "Nordlys", which came from the north through the narrow strait to Brønnøysund. Not much room for navigation!
The local Yacht club in Brønnøysund has fitted out the harbour at Straumøya with two floating stages, benches tables and even a special table for cleaning fish. There was even power connection there, but no power. A closer investigation revealed a diesel generator in an adjacent boathouse.
An old sailboat from Kristiansund arrived later in the evening. and the captain could tell us that he had just collided with a whale!
Sea fog drifted in towards midnight and created this nice evening feeling.
Straumøya - Hjartøya
First day on the trip with proper rain. The picture below is from a seagull conference at the seamark Rossøytaren. Right; The museum and monument of the Norwegian poet Peter Dass.
We anchored at Hjartøy, and had a nice and quiet night and constantly guarded by the local white tailed eagle.
Hjartøya - Renga
Rain and no wind to start with, but after a while nice weather arrived and we could cross the polarcircle for sail.
The Monofjorden on the island Ranga is a safe an beautiful natural harbour, and at midnight the sun was still above the horizon - welcome to the land of the midnight sun!
A narrow fairway into the Monofjord, but it has enough space for some boat for anchor.
Renga - Svartisen
Sailed closehauled in the Holandfjord, but the low clouds hid the mountains until some rays of sun broke through and revealed a tip of the glacier Svartisen.
M/Y "Triple Seven", the 67m long boat of Roman Abramovich had to leave the jetty in so we could dock, and walk up to the glacier.
Dangerously close to an ice bridge!
View from the edge of the glacier, the Engabre lake in front, and behind; the Holandfjord and the jetty is just blow the two white spots to the right of the fjord.
Svartisen - Fugløyvær
Crossed several fjords for engine in the gray weather.
The wind arrived at last an the sun got out too!o!
At Fulgløyvær we were received by the only permanent resident.
Between the two islands Langø and Steinø there is not much lee, but the anchor didn't move.
Fugløyvær-Bliksvær
After a short shopping trip to Bodø, we headed for Bliksvær and the bay Vestervågen, with its small, white sand beaches among the bare rock-faces.
A flight of cormorants had their own private white beach too!
Alone in Vestervågen
Towards north the Lofoten wall raised from the sea in the midnight sun.
Bliksvær-Bodø
Sunny and nice tacking to Bodø, and a couple of nautical miles from the city we observed some fins in the water in the distance. After a couple of tacks towards the fins , we were surrounded by a group of pilot whales.
The pilot whale is known to stick its head out of the water and have a look around.
In the end we had to leave whales behind and continue our journey to Bodø guest harbour, where the service from the harbour hostess was irreproachable, and not to mention the Statoil attendant who drove the captain to 2 petrol stations in search of gas.