Ice Treads

Pete and Aurora

Northernmost seat

Girl on a boat

It’s all about the colours of the sky

Silly boy in his DROC T shirt – back view

Silly boy in his DROC T shirt, front view

Norwegian Sea

Three trolls

Christmas Tree in Tromso

Wed 22/11/2017.

Hammersfest to Honningsvag.

Sunrise 11.54am. Sunset 12.17pm -7C

71 degrees 10′ 21″

….a nautical term which I am completely ignorant about, which is the latitude of the northernmost point of the European continent.

Today we went to Nordkapp, 71 degrees 10″21′ on our only guided excursion from the ship, a 40 minute bus ride from Honningsvag.  This city has been rebuilt after every building was burned to the ground by the German army during WW2. On the way we saw fishing villages, and some Sami summer camps.  In line with indigenous Sami culture, they arrive at Nordkapp with their herds of reindeer in Spring and stay for the summer.  In autumn they retreat to warmer climes.

The day, if you can call it “day” was beautiful. Although the sun didn’t actually rise over the horizon, the day was clear and fine, and the  sky displayed a beautiful array of pastel colours dominated by pink.  Needless to say it was cold, very cold, -7 degrees.

Three busloads of the ship’s passenger made a dash for the famous globe monument where hundreds of photos were taken.  We joined the rush and I took a couple of photos of Pete in his DROC top, in his bid to establish a new Club record for the only club member silly enough to pose for a picture in his short sleeved club shirt in sub zero temperatures.

We walked around in the beautiful snow with our cameras clicking furiously.  Even got to walk on some virgin snow, sinking into it almost to the tops of my shoes.  It’s a beautiful winter wonderland, and this excursion has been the highlight of our voyage.

Just had a half hour outside on deck 5 in the blowing gale to see another Aurura. Beautiful, it was spread all over the sky in brilliant green backlit by a million stars. There one minute, gone the next. Pete’s taken some terrific photos after getting his camera settings right after much gnashing of teeth.  My camera on the other hand is on strike and refuses absolutely to photograph anything remotely connected with the Aurura, no matter what settings we try.

We’ve befriended an English lady, Marion, who’s travelling alone.  She has loaned me her “Ice Treads” (see photo) purchased for 5 English pounds – about A$12.  Here on board if you wish to buy a pair, they will set you back a cool A$40!! They are brilliant and worth every penny. The streets are slick with black ice and the risk of slipping and falling is high.

Pete bought my birthday present today, a beautiful pair of earrings.  The shopkeeper told us that my birthday is celebrated by the Nords as Santa Lucia Day, she being the Queen of Light and 13th December being the shortest day, heralding the return of the light (sun) after a long cold dark winter.

Tomorrow we will visit Kirkenes and the Ice Hotel, reindeer, Sami culture, and maybe the Russian border, all in a  bracing -13 degrees, I repeat, -13 degrees!!! We’ll be there for 3 1/2 hours, quite long enough I think! Kirkenes is also the start of our southbound (return) voyage back to Bergen.

Ilze xo