Crossing the Arctic Circle

Tuesday 1^st October  

enlarge to see the globe marker behind me

Today, we are true Arctic explorers. At 07:14:20 we crossed the Arctic Circle. There was a guessing competition yesterday and I guessed 07:13:23, so I wasn’t far off, but a miss is as good as a mile, and when I saw 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd prize, I’ve never been so happy to lose. We had considered piking out of getting up to see the marker which signifies this momentous occasion, but when Hilde made the announcement, we thought we’d better get the most for what we’d paid. There’s a small rocky outcrop complete with channel marker and nearby is a metal frame of a world globe. My Arctic coat got it’s first run and proved it’s worth, I’ve begrudged the space given to it in my suitcase but it’s going to be very useful over the next few days.

King Neptune

King Neptune stopped by to visit at 10.30am and to award the winners of the guessing competition. The ship’s company flag suitably notarised and a Hooti-Dooten mug for 1^st place, and a Hooti-Dooten mug for the runners-up. Also a part of the prize was a ladle of ice and water down the back (inside the clothes), and a shot of cloudberry wine to warm them up from the inside. We stand in good stead with King Neptune. We have the same standing with him as halibut, jelly fish and drowned sailors. But at least we eat, and drink (even more) as there’s no room for weaklings.

After the award ceremony, other mortals were keen to test their metal and lined up for the ice water treatment. Sorry, not me, I had planned to but as my cold is slowly improving, I was not keen to fire it up again.

Early lunch followed by docking at Bodo at 12.30 and a walk into town. It’s only 10 minutes, as opposed to 20 yesterday into Trondheim. Maps are provided at the reception desk, so with one in hand and Arctic jackets on, off we went, following the salmon upstream. We spotted a 2^nd hand shop (as opposed to an ‘antique’ shop) so just had to go in. Trevor had a good rummage through the cutlery and came up with another bottle opener, quite a nice handle on it, for 10NOK, so that’s now in our possession. Nothing for me, tempted by a plate, but can live without it, I’ll save myself for Paris. We walked up to Bodo Cathedral and were surprised to find a very grim looking building with small windows, but I guess given the conditions it has to handle, it’s what’s needed. Full copper roof though, must have cost a small fortune. Inside was a total surprise, it was very spacious and the acoustics were very good, the organist was in full flight and it was really lovely to sit and contemplate for a while. The small, high, side windows were panes of coloured glass, but the window behind the altar was a work of art. It must be on the protected side of the building. I was so impressed, I left a donation. I figured it was only fair for the lovely sights and the music.

Such hard work this relaxing, so a nanna nap upon return to the ship was in order. Gotta be ready to keep watch tonight in case the clouds break again. We’ve begun the crossing of the Vestfjord, probably the most open stretch of water we’ve hit so far. The sea is churning and if it was bluer, it’d be the way we’ve seen the Pacific a few times. That guy who wrote ’50 Shades of Grey’ must never have been to Norway. We’ve seen 100 or more! There’s a little fishing boat out there and it just about disappears behind the swell. Glad I’m not on that! This swell is quite unpredictable, there’s no rhythm to it, and it sounds like we just hit a whale, but the crew aren’t concerned, so I’ll try not to be!

We’re going to be by ourselves at dinner tonight. Doug and Ruth are going on an excursion that includes a Viking Feast. It’ll be interesting to hear all about that one. I don’t think they’ve had too many takers, they were still announcing vacancies at lunch. They disembark at Stamsund, N 068 07,0  E 013 50,0 the next port and rejoin the ship at Svolvaer, N 0 68 13,7  E 014 34,0 the centre of the Lofoten Islands. I remember seeing a TV show with Joanna Lumley when she went to the Lofotens and saw the Northern Lights. There was also a show where she was left on a deserted island for a couple of nights. She’s a plucky bird and it’s hard not to only think of her as Patsy on AbFab.

Very late tonight, we will sail through the Raftsound which forms the border between Vesteralen and Lofoten, and weather permitting, we’ll sail into the Trollfjord. Ugly little buggers those trolls, there’s one on board and we saw some in Bergen.