Summer 2011 Part 6

Summer 2011 Part 6
NORDSTJERNEN to Bergen

Tuesday 12th July 2011
The ship called at Torvik for half an hour, and then Maloy for 45 minutes, but I was still sleeping, obviously undisturbed by a quayside right outside my porthole! After that though the seas were very rough and we pitched and rolled for nearly an hour until 4 a.m. I eventually slept and woke when my alarm clock went off so I could be on deck for the next port of Floro at 7.45 and I managed a 5 minute walk on the quayside there, just to restore my equilibrium.

Rem Stadt

Skandi Sotra

Half an hour later we were off again, and then it was breakfast and rolling our way south again.

We were asked to vacate cabins by 10 a.m. so luggage was stored up on Deck C near Reception, carried up there by large Viking-like crew members, thus allowing the cabins to be cleaned and linen changed, ready for arrival in Bergen. Once we were in the shelter of another fjord the sea calmed slightly and many of us chose to sit up on the top deck, wrapped in warm thick blankets, taking in the fresh icy air in a very convivial atmosphere and admiring the amazing scenery.





Fedjefjord

Salmon and reindeer appeared on the lunch menu again,

3rd and 4th salmon to appear

lunch choices

more lunch choices

desserts

with more beautiful-looking desserts amongst other things, so everyone was well-fed by the time we sailed through the last of the fjords into the port of Bergen and the Hurtigruten Terminal. En route we could see lots more ships.


Falkvik

Malene Ostervold


Hanseatic Sailor

White Lady

The newly named Artania cruise ship

Another view of Artania

8 ships and Mount Floyen

SC Aberdeen

local sightseeing vessel

Snarveien



We were on time of course, at 2.30 p.m., and I felt reluctant to leave this delightful little ship.

Goodbye little dear

She really is a little liner, with so much wood in her fixtures and fittings, comfortable and stylish furnishings, fabulous food, and interesting and pleasant staff. I would happily sail on NORDSTJERNEN again, preferably when there wasn’t a low pressure weather front from the west affecting the state of the sea as it was during my short voyage, but a Hurtigruten voyage of whatever length is certainly something to be recommended. I imagine that the whole round trip from Bergen to Kirkenes and back is rightly named ‘The world’s most beautiful voyage’.

It was sunny and hot as I walked to my Bergen city centre hotel, past the harbour-side Fish Market stalls selling all sorts of fish and reindeer meat, to eat there or take home, and the Norwegian knitted goods stalls.






Another interesting drain cover



Tourists and visitors were everywhere, enjoying the sights and sounds. Later I met another of my travelling companions and we enjoyed coffee and cake before exploring part of the harbour and looking for interesting ships.

Restaurant Ladies toilet sign

Dinner of course was reindeer or salmon, and it was lovely to be able to walk home late in the evening whilst it was still very light. NORDSTJERNEN meanwhile was on her way north again, sailing along the Norwegian coast in the Land of the Midnight Sun.

NORDSTJERNEN leaving Bergen and sailing north again

Tomorrow I will be sailing on another unusual ship, from here in Bergen, heading further south.

Ships seen: Rem Stadt, Skandi Sotra, Fedjefjord, Falkvik, Malene Ostervold, Hanseatic Sailor, Artania cruise ship, SC Aberdeen, Snarveien, White Lady, Nordstjernen and other Bergen harbour vessels


To be continued…

Summer 2011 Part 5

NORDSTJERNEN

Monday 11th July (contd.)
Seven Sisters

Ronja Superior

Bridge approaching Kristiansund

Welcome sign

Eidsvaag Polaris

At 4.30 p.m. we arrived at Kristiansund and had just under half an hour to take a short walk along the quayside to see the statue of the Klippfiskkjerringa, to be back on board for 5 p.m. sailing.

Nordstjernen at Kristiansund

One of our anchors

The Bridge from the quayside

Interesting drain cover

For sale in a shop...

Little tug steaming along nicely

The weather was clear but cool and the scenery was endlessly interesting. My Father had also called here on several occasions on the ARANDORA STAR. As we left the port, a few of us could stand on one bridge wing to watch the departure.

View from the Bridge

Island Challenger

Because the ship was now entering open sea it soon became very rough, and many of us on this tiny ship felt unwell, but this stretch of the passage was likely to last for a couple of hours and simply had to be endured.

Restaurant (and Captain's Table) laid for dinner

Most of us recovered in time for Restaurant dinner at 6.30 p.m. which was served at our individual tables – a beautifully presented plate of cured reindeer for starters,



followed by a layered creation of 3 fish with vegetables,



and followed by the famous Norwegian dessert of red soft fruit in juice, with cream.



It was a delicious meal, beautifully cooked and presented, and cheerfully served, and set the high standard for all the meals on board.

We called at Molde at 8.30 p.m. for an hour, and just before arriving there I was astonished to see AIDA BLU heading out of the mist towards us.



I know we are a small ship, but I didn’t envy the passengers on there heading up into those rough seas. Once in Molde I took a short walk around in the rain trying to identify a church in one of my Father’s photos;

A Molde church

I thought this was interesting

as we left, the NORDLYS berthed nearby.



We saw several of the Fjord1 and other Molde ferries whilst we were there.

Tiderose

Brandal

Romsdalsfjord

Noldefjord

Sekken

Last view of Molde

There is a Bar on the Saloon Deck near the Restaurant, so I took a glass of something delicious with me to the Lounge later that evening to see a short film show about the Hurtigruten route scenery; then I had a chat with the Purser about NORDNORGE and her now famous voyage north, and of course about NORDSTJERNEN. This was when he told me about her not having any sisters, as she was a replacement ship. He said there was no cargo on this trip as the crane was broken; the ship has ‘ancient monument’ status in Norway, so has special ‘clearance’ as a ship; she only sails in Norwegian waters so SOLAS doesn’t apply; she uses heavy oil but is fairly good, and the accountants are happy.

She is likely to last only one year now probably, as Hurtigruten must decide about new ships; FINNMARKEN is still on charter in Australia, and all are happy with this, so the charter may be renewed, in which case Hurtigruten must decide whether they need 1 or 2 new ships. I asked about the next SOLAS regulations due in a few years’ time, and he said NORDSTJERNEN’s fire doors would not be able to be used under the next Regulations.

I had noticed that the Post flag was flown from the stern flagpole and the Purser said that Mail had not been carried since the 1980s on the Hurtigruten ships, but as a courtesy they were allowed to continue using the Post flag because of her special status in Norway.

He was interested in knowing about my Father’s ship calls along the Norwegian coast in the 1930s, and mentioned another passenger he had met recently. The gentleman was coming back to the country that he had only seen during the Second World War from his submarine periscope! He had liked the look of the mountainous coast and bird life and determined to come back some day and actually set foot on the landscape he had so admired. The Purser didn’t mention the nationality of that passenger and I didn’t ask.

The ship called at Alesund at midnight for 45 minutes but I didn’t see a thing – I was lulled to sleep by the sea.

Ships seen: Kystekpressen, Coastguard vessel Barend Biesheuvel, Nordstjernen, Seven Sisters (Sea 7) a working ship with a heli-pad on the bow, Ronja Superior, Dart from Arhus, Kar steam tug at Kristiansund, Eidsvaag Polaris, Kristiansund cross-harbour ferry, Island Challenger, the UT 776E written on the hull of a vessel with a big bow, and no stern, outside Kristiansund, Nordlys of Hurtigruten, Molde ferries Tiderose, Brandal, Romsdalsfjord, Noldefjord and Sekken, a fast ferry in Kristiansund, Robas, Aida Blu appearing out of the mist and heading north from Molde

To be continued…