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17 - 28 April 2023 - Cruising on MS Polarlys
The route our ship sailed
Here is an information brochure on the cruise.
This blog picks up from where I last left off, sailing off into the sunset. By the time you read this we will have returned to Bergen. It's been a relaxing 12 days, cruising past quaint towns, tiny fishing villages and isolated homesteads scattered amongst small coves surrounded by snow capped mountains.
We've crossed the Arctic Circle, sailed in and out of small harbours, fjords and waterways, between looming cliff faces, so narrow, we all sucked in our bellies to ensure the ship passed through safely.
We have had some memorable experiences; riding husky dog sleds through snow flurries, visiting the most northern city in Europe, seen white-tailed eagles soaring, to name just a few. We were not so lucky when it came to seeing the northern lights. Our first night out, at 1:35am a broadcast came over the loudspeaker system that the lights could be seen on the port side. We hastily dressed and hurried out on deck, but all we saw was a slight greenish halo over the far horizon. According to the Australian news website, we would have had a better chance had we only gone to Tasmania instead.
During the quiet times, between ports, we spent hours relaxing in comfortable reclining chairs in the observation lounge, where I managed to keep busy editing the thousands of photos I've taken so far, and composing my blogs, in between rushing out on deck each time something caught my eye. A good portion of our time was also spent listening to lectures on various Norwegian folklore and on aspects of life in a cold climate; more than half of Norway lies within the Arctic Circle. Oh, and we spent a substantial amount of time in the dining room, doing what we do best.... eating. The quality of the food was outstanding, and for a lover of seafood, it did not disappointed. The Norwegians excell at all things fishy.
A bit about the ship we sailied on, the M.S. Polarlys (Polar Lights) of the Hurtigruten Line. They started 130 years ago carrying the post, cargo and passengers along the 780 km coast of Norway from Bergen, in the south, to Kirkenes in the far north, then back again.
Hurtigruten's seven coastal ships still carry freight and guests along the coast of Norway. The full round trip lasts 12 days, stopping at 33 ports in each direction, and is often referred to as “the world’s most beautiful voyage”. The word Hurtigruten translates literally to the fast route, and in it's day, it was the fastest way to reach the many towns and tiny hamlets that dot the Norwegian coast.
You can read the history of Hurtigruten here.
In today's modern world it is no longer the fastest route and, apart from the usual cargo, is more widely used by foreign tourists to meander along the picturesque Norwegian coast. Our ship can accommodate about 500 souls, though on our voyage, before the summer season starts in earnest, it was only running at about half capacity. The majority were Germans (±150), followed by French (±50), and the balance was made up with Dutch, British, Aussies, Americans, Norwegians and a few sundry others.
Each time there was information to be disseminated, a broadcast was made and each time it started in Norwegian, but sounded more like the Swedish chef from the Muppets, it was then followed in English, German and French. If nothing else I was able to brush up on my German.
A view of Ålesund.
Of all the ports we visited, the two most picturesque were Ålesund and Trondheim. In the night of 23 January 1904, the town of Ålesund was the scene of one of the most terrible of the many conflagrations to which Norwegian towns, once built largely of wood, have been subjected. Practically the entire town was destroyed during the night, a gale aiding the flames, and the population had to leave the town in the middle of the night with only a few minutes' notice. Only one person died in the fire, the 76-year-old Ane Heen, but more than 10,000 people were left without shelter.
Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany sent four warships with materials to build temporary shelters and barracks. After a period of planning, the town was rebuilt in stone, brick, and mortar in Art Nouveau style.
Trondheim
Apart from the gorgeous scenery, it was some of the more parculiar things we saw that will remain foremost in my memory. The port of Trondheim was a good 30 minute walk from the town centre. We were given 3 hours in which to do some sightseeing. Always the most punctual, we were back on board with 20 minutes to spare, but at our designated departure time a message was broadcast, in German, asking for the passengers from a particular cabin to make themselves known to the crew. My ears pricked up. As the ship slowly pulled out from the dock, I ambled up to the prominade deck and scanned the wharf, expecting to see someone running toward the wharf, and there standing by the water's edge, stood a couple with two wharfies, madly gesticulating, as if trying to draw the ship back. I glanced up to the bridge, but the captain was facing the bow, navigating towards the open sea.
Left behind
12 hours later, as we docked at the port of Rørvik, standing in the amber glow of the high pressure sodium lamps that illuminate the wharf, I spied two shame-faced hitchhikers, a little lighter in the wallet, having had to pay for airfares to ensure we were all reunited again. An expensive reminder that, like time and tide, the ship waits for no man...or woman.
Arctic Hitchhikers
At each port, we were used to seeing the forklift unloading pallets of goods from the ship, but at one port, Ørnes, a tiny town of about 1300 inhabitants, you could have knocked me over with a feather, when, out from the cargo hold rolled a red Corvette.
Red Corvette
We all lined the portside deck in hopes of seeing who it was that had won lotto. Alas, our ship set sail before it was claimed.
Kittiwakes
On the return leg of our journey, I entered a few photos in a photographic competition. The image above, of some Kittiwakes nesting by the dock in Vardø, came second, and the image below, of the early morning reflections in Ålesund, came third. Unfortunately, only first place actually won something, a USB stick with images and video by the excursion crew leader.
Ålesund
Thankfully, most of our sailing was on the calm waters between islands and fjords, but on a few days, we sailed in open waters. Never a good sailor, at the best of times, I resorted to talking on the big porcelain telephone on a couple of occasions. If nothing else, my calorie output exceeded my calorie intake for a change.
As I waddled off the ship, 12 days and several additional kilos later, I was glad to return to Terra Firma, though, even after three days the floor is still floating under my legs.
We are headed to Oslo, where my blog continues.
Read the next episode here.
Here are some of my images from the cruise.
Images of Ålesund are available here
Images of Trondheim are available here
Images of Bodø are available here
Images of Tromsø are available here
Images of Kirkenes are available here
Images of Vardø are available here
Images of Vesterålen are available here
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