Tysfjorden, Norway
Temperatures continue to rise as we head north towards Svalbard getting close to 80 degrees. Only a few of us have brought the right clothing for hot weather. The sun is in the sky 24 hours a day.
We do our morning stretching exercise out on the open deck, taking advantage of the glorious weather. We eat our lunch and dinner outside on the rear deck as we take in the spectacular landscape slowly passing by. Here we observe the snow-capped mountains with red painted wooden farm houses tucked in on the steep slopes.
Towards mid-day we sail to the end of Tysfjorden, anchor up at Hellmebotyn where the local Sami have their summer homes. This is the closest we will get to the Swedish border. When we come to shore we see big stacks of cut wooden logs, Scotch Pine. During a similar visit to this area two years ago, the hike to the waterfall took place in the cool shadow of pine trees. Today, the forest has been taken down, and we walk through the clear cut fields. Most of the land in Finnmark is publicly owned, but this stretch is in private hands. As we arrive to the waterfall, we are rewarded with seeing the ice-cold rushing water cascading down over the round rocks, spraying us as it passes by. After the vigorous hike, it was good to return to the sea for kayaking or a Zodiac cruise along the steep slopes that surround the fjord.
Temperatures continue to rise as we head north towards Svalbard getting close to 80 degrees. Only a few of us have brought the right clothing for hot weather. The sun is in the sky 24 hours a day.
We do our morning stretching exercise out on the open deck, taking advantage of the glorious weather. We eat our lunch and dinner outside on the rear deck as we take in the spectacular landscape slowly passing by. Here we observe the snow-capped mountains with red painted wooden farm houses tucked in on the steep slopes.
Towards mid-day we sail to the end of Tysfjorden, anchor up at Hellmebotyn where the local Sami have their summer homes. This is the closest we will get to the Swedish border. When we come to shore we see big stacks of cut wooden logs, Scotch Pine. During a similar visit to this area two years ago, the hike to the waterfall took place in the cool shadow of pine trees. Today, the forest has been taken down, and we walk through the clear cut fields. Most of the land in Finnmark is publicly owned, but this stretch is in private hands. As we arrive to the waterfall, we are rewarded with seeing the ice-cold rushing water cascading down over the round rocks, spraying us as it passes by. After the vigorous hike, it was good to return to the sea for kayaking or a Zodiac cruise along the steep slopes that surround the fjord.
