Cruise the Norway Fjords?

[Nautibusiness]

So few people have ever made such an epic trip in such a small boat in those conditions, what a fantastic narrative.

1.5mpg in a 43' boat is really excellent fuel economy, and all on twin 285hp engines....I can't understand why it is that the cat concept is ignored by most uk boaters, as it seems to deliver some fantastic advantages. I'm sure most mobo owners still believe that cats are not seaworthy craft, well I think you have finally put that stereotype to bed. Of course nearly every wind farm vessel is a cat operating right through the winter period no problem, and the proof is in the eating, as they say!

Thanks again for posting that interesting story of your trip.:encouragement:

I think the narrative possibly over dramatises it a bit, but when it was rough it was very rough and went it was nice it was simply stunning.

 

[IDAMAY]

It's a long time ago now but in 2000 we took our Sealine 420 to west Norway via the west coast of the UK, through the Caledonian Canal to Orkney, Shetland and then straight across the North Sea to Bergen, still the longest open sea passage we have ever done at 210nm. After six weeks or so exploring north and south of Bergen, we returned via Denmark, the Kiel Canal and the Netherlands, entering the Dutch inland waterways at Den Helder.

The whole experience remains the most memorable of around 30 years of boating, even the horrid seas we encountered between Orkney and Shetland (4m swells with the tops being blown off) and also on the approaches to Den Helder where the shallow waters and a SW F6 gave us a rather torrid time. Those two bad passages were more than compensated by the stunning boating in the Fjords.

Part of the 3200nm trip was covered in MBM. We entered the Waypoint 2000 competition that they ran at the time and won second prize. We didn't mind losing to a very nice couple of lunatics who wrote about a cruise to Helsinki in a RIB!

Unfortunately, I can't post any photos from that trip as that was back in the time of "proper" photography and I have neither the photos or a scanner to hand. It is, without doubt, a wonderful place to visit in your own boat.

 

[rustybarge]

It's a long time ago now but in 2000 we took our Sealine 420 to west Norway via the west coast of the UK, through the Caledonian Canal to Orkney, Shetland and then straight across the North Sea to Bergen, still the longest open sea passage we have ever done at 210nm. After six weeks or so exploring north and south of Bergen, we returned via Denmark, the Kiel Canal and the Netherlands, entering the Dutch inland waterways at Den Helder.

The whole experience remains the most memorable of around 30 years of boating, even the horrid seas we encountered between Orkney and Shetland (4m swells with the tops being blown off) and also on the approaches to Den Helder where the shallow waters and a SW F6 gave us a rather torrid time. Those two bad passages were more than compensated by the stunning boating in the Fjords.

Part of the 3200nm trip was covered in MBM. We entered the Waypoint 2000 competition that they ran at the time and won second prize. We didn't mind losing to a very nice couple of lunatics who wrote about a cruise to Helsinki in a RIB!

Unfortunately, I can't post any photos from that trip as that was back in the time of "proper" photography and I have neither the photos or a scanner to hand. It is, without doubt, a wonderful place to visit in your own boat.

Now that's a serious trip!
I saw a program on the telly about fishermen who did that trip over to Norway during the war to smuggle guns to the Norwegian resistance.
A Crossing 200 nm of the north sea in a beam sea.........you deserve a bravery medal for sheer guts.
.....and in a leisure planing boat!!!!!
Just guessing, no chance of rescue that far out in the North sea?

One hell of an achievement.

 

[IDAMAY]

Now that's a serious trip!
I saw a program on the telly about fishermen who did that trip over to Norway during the war to smuggle guns to the Norwegian resistance.
A Crossing 200 nm of the north sea in a beam sea.........you deserve a bravery medal for sheer guts.
.....and in a leisure planing boat!!!!!
Just guessing, no chance of rescue that far out in the North sea?

Thanks but I have to admit it was pretty much flat calm all the way. We left Lerwick in fog which cleared after an hour or so. We didn't see much shipping - just a North Sea support ship at one point and a few rigs in the distance. I guess a distress call would have been picked up by the traffic to/from the rigs or by one of the rigs themselves.

When we approached the Norwegian coast we found ourselves close to a major NATO naval exercise which was quite exciting. I have to admit to a real sense of achievement when we sited the Marstein light and knew that we would soon be in a safe port.

SWMBO has totally refused any talk of a repeat passage on the grounds that we could never get that lucky with weather and sea state again. She might well be right!

I have the utmost admiration for the Norwegians who made the passage during the war, always under threat from air and sea, often in appalling conditions and very small boats.

 

[johnwest]

Made three visits to Norway way back in the early sixties. A beautiful country and very friendly people. The last trip we made ( I was in my early teens ) was for three weeks and it stopped raining for one half day ! I seem to remember being told that if a horse in Bergen saw someone without an umbrella it would shy away. Can't remember many horses there, but I do remember the King of Norway smiling and waving at me as his car passed about five feet away outside the Palace in Oslo.
Will be returning for first time since then in a couple of weeks, can't wait !

j

 

[rustybarge]

Made three visits to Norway way back in the early sixties. A beautiful country and very friendly people. The last trip we made ( I was in my early teens ) was for three weeks and it stopped raining for one half day ! I seem to remember being told that if a horse in Bergen saw someone without an umbrella it would shy away. Can't remember many horses there, but I do remember the King of Norway smiling and waving at me as his car passed about five feet away outside the Palace in Oslo.
Will be returning for first time since then in a couple of weeks, can't wait !

j

remember to stock up before you go.........:ambivalence:

First a bit about taxes. A quick round up reveals the following taxes for spirits in five European countries for a 46%-bottle –:

Germany (€4.20)
Denmark(€6.48 )
UK (€9.86)
Sweden (€17.56)
Norway (€24.54)

 

[johnwest]

Uummm, thanks for that information. I hope SWMBO doesn't see this. I think the odd bottle or two will be secreted into our suitcases. just hope they get passed the security check before boarding.

j

 

[Piers]

We took our duty free allowance in, which was 1ltr/person for spirits. The t for the G was more than the G !