Harstad to Tromso

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Harstad 

During the night our Hurtigruten ship navigated the narrow Raftsund strait. Day 5 of our voyage began with a stop in Harstad, situated on Hinnøya, the largest island in Norway. It is the third largest city in Northern Norway, and an important center of commerce for the entire region.

Harstad has a sheltered location and a good harbor. Forests, mountains, fjords, islands, and miles of trails offer unforgettable outdoor experiences all year round. Terraced buildings lead up from the harbor, against a backdrop of forests and mountains. Just outside town lies Trondenes Church, the world's northernmost medieval church, dating back to the 13th century.


Since we were only docking there for just over an hour, we decided to take some pictures and then have breakfast.  From here we continued via Finnsnes to Tromsø for a prolonged stay.

After breakfast there was a DVD  video shown in Panorama Lounge on Deck G: Tromso, the Gateway to the Arctic.  We spent a lot of time in this lounge during the cruise - we were able to plug our PC in and work on our pictures.

Finnsnes

Fisheries and agriculture add character to this small town in sheltered waters south of Tromsø 

Finnsnes is a small town located on the mainland in the municipality of Lenvik. Several small boroughs surround Finnsnes, forming one large urban area. It is an important hub for transportation both on land and sea. Tromsø and Harstad can be reached within a little more than an hour by speedboat.

There are several attractions in Finnsnes and for tourists this is the reference point when sightseeing in the region.

Finnsnes has become known as the gateway to Senja - also known as the island of adventure, and "Norway in miniature" with mountains and fjords, small communities, hospitality and go-ahead spirit - and all kinds of weather.

Vesteralen only made a brief stop at this port, so we didn't get off the ship.  Instead, we went for lunch after taking pictures of the town.  Next stop:  extended stay in Tromsø

Additional photos can be found on our Norway Shutterfly page

Harstad - Finnsnes


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Starting Point for the True North

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Bodø

Bodø is home to the world’s strongest maelstrom Saltstraumen and the Børvasstindan mountain range. Surrounded by sea and fjord, the light in Bodø constantly shifts with the wind and weather. And then there’s the exotic fact that both the midnight sun and northern lights can be seen from here.

The city’s main charm lies in its backdrop of distant rugged peaks and vast skies. The Børvasstindan mountain range offers both hiking and climbing opportunities, and the Bodømarka forrest is great for skiing in the wintertime and long walks in the summer season. Bodø also has the densest population of white-tailed sea eagles in the world, which is why the city is often referred to as the Sea eagle capital.

Bodø Peace Cathedral 

Bodø Cathedral is a cathedral in the municipality of Bodø in Nordland county, Norway. It is located in the town of Bodø. The church is part of the Bodø parish in the Bodø deanery in the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland.

Hurtigruten provided a shuttle bus to the town center. We arrived at the cathedral after a short walk through the snow-covered streets.   The white snow, blue sky, and puffy clouds made a gorgeous setting for exterior pictures of the cathedral. The church has a 36-metre (118 ft) tall independent clock tower that contains three bells. There is also a memorial to those who died from Bodø during the World War II.

Going inside, the colorful stained-glass windows were quite stunning.  We were glad that we'd decided to go exploring on our own.  Originally, we had planned to book an excursion, but decided this was one port where it wouldn't be necessary.

Additional photos can be found on our Norway Shutterfly page

Bodo


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Crossing Arctic Circle

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Arctic Circle

The Arctic Circle is the most northerly of the abstract five major circles of latitude as shown on maps of the Earth. It marks the northernmost point at which the noon sun is just visible on the northern winter solstice and the southernmost point at which the midnight sun is just visible on the northern summer solstice.

The region north of this circle is known as the Arctic, and the zone just to the south is called the Northern Temperate Zone. North of the Arctic Circle, the sun is above the horizon for twenty-four continuous hours at least once per year (and therefore visible at midnight) and below the horizon for twenty-four continuous hours at least once per year (and therefore not visible at noon); this is also true within the equivalent polar circle in the Southern Hemisphere, the Antarctic Circle.

A sign on the Vikingen island marking
the Arctic Circle in Norway

‘Crossing the line’ to the land of the Midnight Sun or the Northern Lights

An invisible line sweeps across Sweden, Finland, Russia, Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Iceland – a line that also splits Norway in two.

You will see the line marked on a globe on the small islet of Vikingen, in Rødøy between Nesna and Ørnes. To the west of this point is the island of Hestmannen, which was depicted in the Nordland legend about the trolls that were suddenly turned into stone and became the mountains along the Nordland coast. Eastward, Mefjorden continues up to the Svartisen Glacier.

Crossing Ceremony

Hurtigruten Voyages often celebrate crossing the line with rites such as whistle signals and symbolic onboard baptisms.  There was a ceremony held during our voyage.   Certificates were awarded to those that completed the ceremony which included baptism with ice water.

The exact location of the Arctic Circle varies each time you travel past it. Over the course of a full year, the virtual line shifts by almost 50 feet – while Vikingen and the Arctic Circle Monument remain firmly in place. The exact position of the line depends on the angle of the Earth’s axis compared to the plane of the Earth’s orbit.

Additional photos can be found on our Norway Shutterfly page

Arctic Circle (Northbound)
King Neptune


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Sailing from Trondheim

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 Lunch Day 3

Shortly after returning from our Trondheim excursion to Nidaros Cathedral it was time for lunch in the Restaurant (main dining room on Deck C).  Lunches are served buffer style.  As you can see in the picture, there was a selection of hot and cold food to chose from.

Our choices included meat and potatoes, salad, and a sandwich.   Dessert consisted of home-made strudel topped with vanilla sauce and berries.

Monks Island

Shortly after departure we saw Munkholmen (Monks Island) on the starboard side. This was Trondheim's execution ground in ancient times and the Benedictine monks built a monastery on the island very early in the 11th century. In 1658 it was converted into a prison and fort, later becoming a custom house. Today this is a popular recreational area, with good bathing and restaurant.

Kjeungskjær Lighthouse

The Kjeungskjær lighthouse (Norwegian: Kjeungskjær fyr) is a lighthouse in the municipality of Ørland in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The lighthouse is located on a tiny island at the mouth of the Bjugnfjorden about 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) west of the village of Uthaug and 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south of the village of Nes in Bjugn. 

It was built in 1880 and automated in 1987. Prior to being automated, the operators lived on the lower floors of the building. The lighthouse is lit from July 21 until May 16 every year. It is not lit during the late spring and early summer due to the midnight sun. The red lighthouse is an octagonal-shaped building that is 20.6 metres (68 ft) tall.

We spent the afternoon sailing past snow-capped mountains and little colorful villages from the comfort of the Panorama Lounge on Deck G.

Additional photos can be found on our Norway Shutterfly page

Sailing from Trondheim
Hurtigruten Ship Yard


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