Coast of Norway - places to live in the Arctic

Link to Flickr

A part of our coast that we pass on our voyage in the arctic landscape of Finnmark County high up in the North of Norway.

Even in this wild landscape people have found places good and attractive for living. 

You probably should enlarge the photo to see the few scattered houses out here in the neighborliness of the Barentz sea.

Her we are passing the island Loppa and can view the small church placed on the sheltered side of the island versus the big ocean to be found on the "outer" side.

Wiki: Loppa Church (Norwegian: Loppa kirke) is located in the village of Loppa on the sparsely populated island of Loppa. 

The small white wooden church was built in 1953. The church seats about 150 people, but it is rarely used since the island has few residents.

BTW Have you noticed that the landscape in this part of Norway is without trees...

The arctic climate up here is to cold, to windy and with to short summers to have the trees here.

Some time after we cross the border from Finnmark to Troms county we pass another small settlement placed in the grand nature to be found along the coast of Norway. 

The small white dots to the left are two mobile homes - staying here a few days - probably for fishing...

Coast of Norway - arriving in Hammerfest

Link to Flickr

We are coming in to Hammerfest in Finnmark - and the decks crew are ready to moor the ship for the 2 hrs. we are staying here. This is the northernmost town in the world and the gate to the Barents Sea.

WIKI: Hammerfest is a town in Hammerfest Municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. 

The town is one of the northernmost towns in the world. 

The 2.94-square-kilometre (730-acre) town has a population (2013) of 7,568, which gives it a population density of 2,574 inhabitants per square kilometre (6,670/sq mi).

The town has an ice-free harbor, 

Close to the anchor place of our ship we can look over to the Hammerfest Church

From the net: The Protestant Church of Hammerfest was built by architect Hans Magnus from Oslo, who among other things also designed the northernmost church in the world on Spitsbergen. 

It was consecrated in 1961. 

The triangle Magnus served as a leitmotif for the Church, both as a symbol of the Holy Trinity and also as a reference to the traditional fish drying racks, which still today are used to produce the stockfish.

Mirror effect of our ship MS Nordkapp in the windows of a nearby warehouse

Melkøya (Milk island) a gas processing plant in the Arctic Norway

Link to Flickr

A much discussed event - the building of a gas processing production unit outside of Hammerfest at Melkøya. 

A 168km long pipeline is bringing in the raw gas from the fields out in the Barentz sea. 

After being processed the finished LNG gas is exported at ships mainly to USA.

This is the biggest industrial unit in the North of Norway.

Photo above of the Southside of the production plant. Below a version from the North side:

Below: Modern Gas driven supply ship outside of Melkøya, Hammerfest

From wiki:

Melkøya (Northern Sami: Muolkkut) is an island in Hammerfest Municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. 

The island sits just west of the town of Hammerfest. The 0.69-square-kilometre (170-acre) island is connected to the town of Hammerfest (on the island of Kvaløya by the Melkøysund Tunnel which was completed in 2003.

The industrial island is the endpoint of the undersea pipeline that transports natural gas from the Snøhvit natural gas fields in the Barents Sea. 

The gas goes through the 168-kilometre (104 mi) long pipeline to the processing station on Melkøya where it is converted into liquefied natural gas. The plant opened in 2007 and it is operated by Statoil.

Coast of Norway: 1 of the 50000 islands

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We are on our way app. 2.400km along the coast of Norway from Kirkenes in NorthEast to Bergen at the westCoast.

Here we pass one of the 50.000 islands registered within our borders - some place up North close to Hasvik.

Sun rays through the clouded sky outside the coast of Norway

Coast of Norway: Sailing in Arctic waters

Link to flickr

At our way South along the coast of Norway from Kirkenes we can se many boats and ships - but it is very rare to spot a sailer with his spinnaker in use.

This one we could see outside of Hammerfest in the North.

Cropped from a 300mm objective to eff. app 600mm tele.

A grey day on the islands a little North of the city Hammerfest

Coast of Norway: Arctic windmills in the North

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2nd day of our sailing South along the arctic coast of Norway. We meet the northbound Coastal Express "Polarlys" just as we pass the windmillpark Havøygavlen. The most Northern windmillpark in the world.

From the net: The world’s northernmost windmill park was officially opened in June 2003. The park consists of 16 wind turbines which are expected to produce around 120 GWh of electric power a year. This corresponds to the annual power consumption for 5,000-6,000 Norwegian homes.

Just after passing the Northbound Coastal Steamer MS Polarlys

Coast of Norway: Vardo / Vardø a small fortress in the NorthEast

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A town with a small fortress that already was there in the medival times as a defense against aggresive Russians and Swedes claiming ownership to this part of the Arctic.

Look to the great round (dome) antenna buildings in the back. Super secret monitoring of Russian activities at sea and in the air 24/7. In a "warm" conflict probably one of the first places to be "taken out" by Putin and his men.....

Beside of that it is fishery that is the name of the game for the app. 2 000 inhabitants on this small island that have 1 visit by the coastal express pr. day. They also have a small airport with 4 departures a day or you can take the underwater tunnel if you arrive by car - all for serving the 2000 who lives here.....

In spite of the good communications people are leaving town as the population for just some years ago was up to 4 000,

The old canons at the wall of the small fortress will probably not be very scaring for Putins men should they want to visit....

Street art in the harbour of Vardø

The Coastal express / Hurtigruten Departure from Kirkenes, Norway

We arrived in Kirkenes with a plane from Oslo and have spent the day strolling around in Kirkenes situated only a few kilometers from our border to Russia - and as far East as Istanbul.

We will from here sail with the Coastal express / Hurtigruten  south to Bergen some 2 400 km and 6 days away.

Kirkenes is the only town in Norway where the street names are given both in Norwegian and Russian (very handy for Putins gang should they invade this neighborhood sometime) 

Coast of Norway: Intro

Welcome aboard for a long 2 400 km sailing along the Coast of Norway.

This time with the coastal express from Hurtigruten: MS Nordkapp going from the small Arctic town Kirkenes - close to the Russian border and then South to Bergen at our West Coast.

This series started with my sailing to North Cape in January 2014. At that time in the winter darkness. This tour will be in the Midnight Sun (hopefully as clouded weather is reported for most of the trip).

The itinerary will be: Plane from Oslo to Kirkenes. MS Nordkapp along the coast south to Bergen (app 2 400km). And then finally after 6 days a plane from Bergen to Oslo.

This photo a stitch of 4 photos in Lofoten, Norway

Arriving in Tromsø a winter afternoon in January

The little StaveChurch in the mountains. Golsfjellet, Norway

Scaling is difficult. The small StaveChurch here is like a doll house as it can anly have some 15 visitors to be filled up.

The small copy of the StaveChurch was build to a nearby hotel owners daughter -  just4fun some years ago.

Today from time to time also used for small weddings.

Situated close to the Oset Hotel at Golsfjellet, Norway.

Some "ghosts" in the small mountain chapel

White summer in Norway

Even in the end of June the snow is covering most of the mountains in Central Norway. The peak in the back, Skogshorn is app. 1.700 m altitude and is normally this time of the year snowfree.

Where did the global warm up go in this part of the world?

The Madam and Alexander enjoy the +10 C in the Norwegian summer - hiking in the mountains

In the end or the beginning of Gøta / Gota Canal, Sweden

The old man is sitting on his bench looking out to the big inland sea Vaneren where also the molo indicates the start of the Gøta canal in the little village Sjøtorp.

From the same area including the first canal lock and the office of the Canal company - in the yellow building.

From the net:

Göta Canal This early 19th century canal connects giant Lake Vänern in the north and Lake Vättern in the south in West Sweden. 

 Its entire stretch includes 66 locks, rivers and lakes. There are various ways of travelling the canal; in style aboard a steamship cruiser, or under your own steam by kayak, canoe, bike, or by walking. 

Sailing in Gøta / Gota Canal, Sweden

Right in the middle of a green vegetation and cornfields a big sailing boat is traversing the beautiful Gøta Canal after having passed the first canal lock in Sjøtorp by the shores of the big inland sea Vaneren.

In another lock an old Norwegian fishing cutter is waiting for the lock to fill up.

Rogstorp bridge by Gøta / Gota Canal, Sweden

Idyllic placed along the canal you find this yellow house right by the old bridge at the Gøta Canal.

The photo here is a stitch of 2.

From the net:
Göta Canal This early 19th century canal connects giant Lake Vänern in the north and Lake Vättern in the south in West Sweden. 
 Its entire stretch includes 66 locks, rivers and lakes. There are various ways of travelling the canal; in style aboard a steamship cruiser, or under your own steam by kayak, canoe, bike, or by walking. 

Landscape along Gøta Canal

The gospel ship "Shalom" in Gøta (Gota) Canal, Sweden

A suprising meeting along the canal.
As we close in to the lock in Lyrestad we hear joyful song from the ship coming up in the canal.
It is the gospel ship "Shalom" crossing this canal.

  See and listen to a short video right here:

Biking along Gøta (Gota) Canal, Sweden

A super day for biking along the beautiful Scandinavian landscape surrounding Gøta Canal between the start of the canal in Sjøtorp (Sjotorp) and the small village Tøreboda (Toreboda).

From the net:
Göta Canal This early 19th century canal connects giant Lake Vänern in the north and Lake Vättern in the south in West Sweden. 
 Its entire stretch includes 66 locks, rivers and lakes. There are various ways of travelling the canal; in style aboard a steamship cruiser, or under your own steam by kayak, canoe, bike, or by walking.

The madam on her way along the beautiful Gøta Canal

Göta canal, Sweden: Afternoon by Tøreboda

We had some fine days along this old canal crossing through some great Swedish Landscapes.

For us perfect for some biking along the canal a few days in June.

A little earlier in the afternoon - a view towards the guest harbor in Tøreboda.

The madam enjoy the fine afternoon at our camp by the shores of the Göta Canal.

From the net: 
Göta Canal
This early 19th century canal connects giant Lake Vänern in the north and Lake Vättern in the south in West Sweden. 
Its entire stretch includes 66 locks, rivers and lakes.There are various ways of travelling the canal; in style aboard a steamship cruiser, or under your own steam by kayak, canoe, bike, or by walking.

Oslo Central Station (Norway)- present facade..

Patterns en gros.
The plaza outside Oslo Central Station.
Maybe they have planned some gay festival or whatever...
..at least the rainbow is for sure here this fine Sunday in June.

The entrance to the old Central station in Oslo - Østbanen

The most idyllic and welcoming township at the West coast of Sweden: Fjallbacka

A perfect day in this small place along the Swedish West Coast. 

Fjellbacka - really a place to enjoy with the small streets, the fine little mountain Vetteberget to hike by and the cosy environment by the sea.

Also in stitch of 2 photos you can see the significant church and the small mountain Jetteberget raise as a wall behind Fjallbacka.

A final look to the small city as we follow the road from our nearby camp and into the city.

More of Fjellbacka from wiki

Fjällbacka is locality situated in Tanum Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 859 inhabitants in 2010.

Fjällbacka is mostly known as a summer tourist resort, with a long history.

Fjällbacka is located at Latitude 58,36 North Longitude 11,17 East, approximately 150 km from Gothenburg, 165 km from Oslo and 520 km from Stockholm.

Notable Residents:

The actress Ingrid Bergman lived here, when she visited Sweden.

Swedish crime writer Camilla Läckberg grew up here; many of her books take place in or around Fjällbacka.

For more from my 2015 tours - visit:

hijack.blogspot.no/p/2015-jacks-caravan.html

iphone6+ Another spring flood at Solberfoss Power Plant, Askim, Norway

It's that time of the year again:
Hundreds of kilometer away from this Hydroelectric Power Plant at the river Glomma in Norway Southeast - the snow in the mountains started to melt right after the easter days up in the mountains.

And then, as almost every year the flood have reached this place right in my neighboorhood on it's way to the ocean only 60 km away after a long travel from the mountains.

And as we do the most years we find a fine day to bike to this power plant to have a look at the great spectacle.

iphone6+ 2 photos stitched.

The madam takes a little rest by the Hydro electric Power Plant, some 60 km SouthEast of Oslo.








For my video from this Power Plant and Vamma Powerplant 10km South - just click here:

https://youtu.be/YkSCGwcfkJg