Just 3nm from our destination island it disappeared in the fog and didn't come out again until we were a couple hundred meters from it!
We are trying to find different harbours than those we used on the last trip to Lofoten, but Finnøy guest harbour is rated among the 10 best in Norway. Besides we were cold and the wind was dying off and we were tired and.....
Finnøya-Håholmen
Early up today in order to avoid the gale over the next open stretch - Hustadvika. We motored a bit before the wind picked up at Bjørnsund =;-) lighthouse.
At times the fog came rolling in so we just could see a hand in front of us and we had to rely on the radar and chartplotter.
Hustadvika was almost pleasant today, wind up to 20knots and waves around 2m.
We moored at Håholmen, where the guest harbour had been updated since last visit. Even the sun was out in the afternoon, but just long enough to take this picture!
We took a walk around this small island with the dogs and they got very exited with this young seagull!
Håholmen-Straumen
The bad weather starts to get severely on our nerves. Here we are, in the most beautiful landscape, passing an endless number of islands, mountains - and we don't know what, because we can hardly see anything, besides all shades of grey! It is foggy, cold, wet and again cold - a summer one could certainly do without.
Today's H is M/V Lofoten. She was built in 1964 and is still in service on the Norwegian Coastal Express. She still looks just like when she was launched, even the interior is kept as it was!
Straumen guest harbour lies 3-4nm from the main fairlead; Trondheimsleia and is well sheltered by hundreds of small islets. It is also the cheapest so far 10€ with power! On the quay there is a well assorted grocery store.
Straumen-Veidholmen
Another day of cold rainy weather. At least the nice S-wind stays with us, so the sailing is very good.
The entrance to the harbour is to the right of the red house behind our mast. The evening was spend in a pub - which looked in the inside like a cafeteria for schoolchildren. An entertainer was playing country music on a keyboard and a real good party was going on.
A real forest of spar buoys marks the shallow (3m minimum) and narrow fairway leading NW from Veidholmen.
Veidholmen-Sula
In the morning we got up and noticed SHADE! And shade means SUN! And so we had a lovely, sunny, but cold day. Well 10 degree with sun most definitely beats 10 degree with rain!
View from the lighthouse on Sula, just below the horizon is Veidholmen, so you cannot see it!
Sula is yet another old fishing station far out at sea. There are still a few fishermen living here, but mainly it is people on holiday who use the houses as summer houses.
The guest harbour has all facilities and there is a grocery shop 20m away.
The pub Terna (left) was appointed the best pub in Norway last year and has also donated this mermaid to the community.
Sula-Sauøya
Leisurely sailing from Sula with the wind from behind in the sun! But the temperature is still only 11 degrees! Rainclouds are forming over land, but they never reached us. The new floating stage at Sauøya is not really made for bigger boats, but with an anchor aft we were lying good - despite the 15 knots wind on the side. The depth is at least 3m in the inner parts of the harbour.
Sauøya is a flat island and when walking around here you stumble upon a lot of small ponds some of them are completely covered with water lilies.
We also tried the fishing here and got two pollacks after an hour fishing. At least we had some bait for the crab pots.
When we pulled them out the next morning we had 6 nice crabs!
Sauøya-Kuringvågen
Partly clouded and nice sailing wind crossing Frohavet to the mainland, but in the evening it started raining again. Both the dogs and the rest of the crew is wondering when we will be able to wear T-shirts again?
The pollacks and the crabs constituted a grand meal and furthermore topped off with a homemade chocolate mousse made it perfect for our visiting friend!
Kuringvågen-Setervika
A nice uneventful sailing trip took us to Setervika. It is good sailing, but the weather is simply lousy! The harbour in Setervika has all facilities and the island provides some place and mountains to walk around.
Setervika-Rørvik
As you can see on the picture below, the wind has turned. It is now from North, so we had to tack. Still nice sailing in calm waters.
Crossing Folla we met "Sunny" from Heilliger Hafen, she was sold to Bodø and thus on a one way trip north. We photographed each other and in Rørvik we exchanged photos!
The guest harbour of Rørvik does not have a lot of places for guests to start with and it was quite full when we arrived. But a friendly harbourmaster managed to clear some room at one of the landings for us - and, besides the Saga Hotel, it was the first time, that we actually met a harbour master in person.