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Sailing from Bodø up along the coastline. Ascending the Helledals-glacier
(1366 m),
in the Folla fjord system. Staying around in this fjord system consisting 6
fjords, allows us to
make a new peak every day, as long as the weather permit. Eventually moving
on to Tysfjord
(spectacular fjord and eventually Killer whales). The fishing is at its peak
season for
the cod and we can have fresh fish for dinner every night if preferred.
The Telemark-skiing program («6 Peaks In 9 days»), will basically follow the
same routing, but
will eventually have some extra days spent up on some plateaus reached.
s95
* Ski Alpinismo (3 departures)
* Telemark skiing (1 departure)
«'Round the shore where loud Lofoden
whirls to death the roaring whale,
Round the hall where Runic Odin,
Howls his war-song to the gale»
Campbell, Ode to the Winter.
«They change their ski(e)s, but not their souls
who run across the sea»
Horace
These programs are mainly of two different types; one based on 'ski alpinismo'equipment and one based on Telemark ski equipment (also called «6 peaks in 9 days»). Common for the programs, are the using of end of March & April as the absolutely best month for such activities. The weather is statistically best in the Arctic in this period, and the snow conditions are at the best. This normally enables us to put the skis on at the quay. These programs are for skilled skiers, and the planning of the next ascend is very much a collective work in the evening. We are carrying all 1:50.000 maps for the whole Northern-Norway, and thus have a possibility to go where we want to. The peaks are between 3000 feet and 5000 feet, more or less raising directly from the sea level. We also try to combine the trips with spending the days ashore, watching animal life (lynx, elks, reindeer, eagles) and trying to get into the Nordic outdoor way of life. That means coffee and meals outdoors as soon as the condition permits.(We cannot rely on a 'Glühwein-bar' around the next bend in these surroundings). Aurora Borealis appears regularly and are definitly strongest till the 10 of April. From then on the sun is taking over and the last group have very close to midnight sun. (You can't win 'em all) The fishery is at its peaks. The record for one group is self catch for dinner 16 days in a row, hard to beat, unless by setting up menus with 'breakfast-fish'. To specify what period to be the most outstanding concerning powder snow is impossible. This is a coastal climate and it waries a lot. Last year I had powder snow on a private trip alone on the 9. May !
Skiing directly from the boat, Lyngen-Alps, after ascending 'Stortuva'.
Recommended literature for maximum preparation:
DNT Fjell og vidde 1990 - «Vandringer i Nord-Norge» / Fritjof Nansen - «Skiing the Greenland Inland Ice» / Gary Larson - «Larsons Crazy World»
This program, starting from Tromsoe, including the unknown beauty of coastal Finnmark including North Cape, stone age sites and engravings, lots of fishing, plateau glaciers, seabird colonies - all on a 14 days voyage in 'the land aloft'. It is also giving a more complete picture of all sorts of nature, fjords and islands than any known program. Ending in Kirkenes as close as you can come to the Russian border, finding your geographic posistion east of Istanbul gives you an impression of the streched shape of the area we are visiting.
«When time who steals our years away,
Shall steal our pleasures too,
The memory of the past will stay
And half our joys renew»
Thomas Moore
«Our doubt are traitors,
and make us lose the good we oft might win
by fearing to attempt»
Shakespeare, Measure for measure, I act.
This year we have concentrated on developing a program showing all the facets of an Arctic summer. A fourteen-days program, that includes the most of the ingredients that makes some of us getting so uncontrolled in love with this part of the world. It will give both an introduction to the Arctic life, but will also concentrate on some spots we reach, that maybe need a second thought to solve the riddle.
Midnight (14.June) in Henningsvær, Lofoten; the main fishing village for the coast fleet.
The program sets off in Tromsø and move northeast and out in the ocean to find the whales. Especially the Sperm Whales that are playng 4 hours distance off coast. Returning to the impressive archipelago in this area in the night /morning. The settlements we pay visits to are small, out in the Arctic Ocean lying settlements that survives though all the rationalist 'experts' try to tell them something else. It is a reminder that struggle is not equal to unhappiness.
With the Sea Eagles, puffin colonies, the high quality mussels, a lot of fish, mountains & glaciers, and best of all - space for freedom -.
We pay a short visit to the Lyngen Alps, where we have time to get a closer look at the peaks and a secret valley we keep for you up there, it is the most fascinating ... We also keep an option open to do some hikes in these more inland habitats to watch some game and conclude the visit at a Sami community. But this part of the program is to be regulated versus the sea conditions so far on the journey. Further north in Fugløya and Loppa we do concentrate on the birdlife and some really extinguish engravings.
We also visit some most spectacular fjords (with absolute no road access or other tourists) that are caped by some impressive plateau glaciers. Visits to some 'micro' communities and do some more fishing, before we pay a visit in Alta. Here we visit the main centre of engravings and the (supposed) craddle of the Komsa-culture. If you want to, you can set up an optional program - salmon fishing in the Alta River, by just specify it under the comments in the online booking form.
On our voyage towards the Tundra, we feel how the conditions gradually are getting harder, but in spite of this we now start finding the real Arctic seabird colonies. Moving on to Sørøya and the other islands on the westcoast of Finnmark are giving first of all the feeling of unlimited space and light. We do some hiking and even with stone-age sites also here, it is more a sort of laid back outdoor life, i.e. getting out in the nature just for the cause of staying outdoor, not necessarily to reach something (a target, mountain, restaurant so on).
We try to land North Cape the expedition-historic way from the sea, if the weather permit. We ascend to the North-Cape plateau and make a stroll. From this point we set trail east and head for Mehamn. We now move along a coastline with impressive lines and a size so big that it makes -forever staying - impressions on every nature seeking soul. This is not the area to keep an schedule at all, but just do what seems most fascinating from our own decisions and using the days (and nights) in the pure light, in the traditional Arctic Explorer manner.
Getting to a visit to Bugøynes before we end this real sailway bazaar in Kirkenes. Here we do some short hikes and also a short visit over to Russia.
As an optional ending you are welcome to give us a note and we can recommend
proposals for visiting the Sami area Finnmarksvidda,
before flying south again.
Co-expedition leader for this program will be Bill Bruce. Bill is Scottish
resettled in Norway
and so close to nature and the philosophy connected to the play of nature,
that his presence seems
like a part of it. Never intruding onto somebody he will be the best
companion for a whatever hike or
coffée fire-in-the-open-discussion. Please read his ...... a personal
impression from one of his previous
trips, crossing the Barents sea with the 'Arctic Explorer'.
Recommended literature for maximum preparation (see also
Whale Safari literature list):
Mary Leakey - «Africa's vanishing art» / J.Vertut - «The images of the ice
age» / Povl Simonsen - «Fortidsminner nord for polarsirkelen» /
Bo. G. Eriksson- «Scandinavian Saga / Jules Vernes - «A world voyage under
the sea /
E.A. Poe. - «A Descent into the Maelstrom»
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