First Overnight Trip

Finally there was an opportunity for us to go on an overnight trip. The weather was forecast to be excellent (not enough wind for sailing though), and I planned for going in a northerly direction.

Studying different sources for suitable anchoring spots I looked forward to explore a place called Uttoskavågen, a natural port protected from all wind directions. That would be our first destination. From there on we would decide what to do and where to continue.

Day 1 – Uttoskavågen

We departed Florvåg on the 10.06.20 a bit later than originally planned. Mostly because Laila has a habit to sleep long and so I got up early, did the grocery shopping and let her sleep out. Around 12:00 the boat was prepared and we left, motoring up the western coast of Askøy. Trailing the dinghy at 15:00 we passed the familiar view of Herdla and just enjoyed the sunny day.

• 

• 

• 

At approximately 17:00 we arrived at our destination and found the inlet to Uttoskavågen relatively easy. Without the help of the GPS it would have been a bit more tricky; the to us unfamiliar coastline does not have many clues as to which inlet is the right one.

Having read the description in the harbour guide of how to enter bay several times Laila positioned on the stern to keep a lookout since you have to make several turns around some shallows.

We arrived as planned and found the mooring buoy to be free to use.

To our surprise we found a newly built floating dock on the western shore in the inner bay, that was not documented anywhere. It seemed that it was constructed this year, and a note on land explained that a shelter is in the planing, too. We explored the dock with the dinghy and decided then that it would be nicer to moor there overnight. Laila kept on land and I manoeuvred the boat slowly to the dock, keeping a close lookout for the depth readings. It turns out that at the tip of the dock the water is 6m deep.

The bay itself is very sheltered but does not offer many other activities apart from spending the time there. We tried to explore the surroundings by foot, but did not find a proper path to follow. Exploration by dinghy and walking up the shore where possible was more viable. On the northern shore of the inner bay I found a possible fishing spot. Not inside Uttoskavågen, but in the bay on the other side. Every cast was a bite (pollock), unfortunately too small to eat. I have to try that spot another time, since the wind freshened up and it became rather cold.

Laila made some excellent dinner, pasta with cheese and vegetables, and we tucked in for the night.

Day 2 – Sulo/Nordøy

We both slept well that night and woke up to another day of mostly clear sky. Our next destination was a recommendation of Lailas father, i.e., Sulo/Nordøy. It is situated approximately an hour to the northeast from Uttoskavågen. After a short coffee and storing the electric outboard motor and battery on board, we again took the dinghy in tow and set course out on the fjord again.

We used the same procedure leaving Uttoskavågen we employed during entering it. Laila on the bow keeping a lookout for possible shallows and me keeping a close look on the depth reading. While motoring along Laila suddenly shouted “Boat!”, and to our surprise a slightly larger wooden sailing barge, maybe 40-45ft, entered the bay on the opposite side of a shallow we were circumnavigating. We could see around ten people in life vests on there and I assume it must have been a school trip of some sort.

As the depth readings increased after exiting the bay I relaxed and we had our breakfast on our short hop to Nordøy.

Upon arriving from the southeast and temporarily mooring at the first spot we got greeted by a local and his dog on a small boat. He told us that the spot we moored to was for the local ferry which was due in about an hour and recommended docking to the public mooring at the southeasterly side of the breakwater some hundred meters further up the sound. However, there was an unanticipated complication to our plan, i.e., an electric power cable spanning between the islands with a clearing of 16 meters. I saw that on the map before and thought that with low tide and Syvsover being 15,80m (by the book) it should not be a problem. Though seeing the power cable in reality and not knowing exactly how the height of the boat got measured (with or without VHF antenna? how much ballast?) I got second thoughts. Laila said we should give it a try, and if it would have been a bridge I would maybe have agreed and slowly tried to inch my way under it. A high power cable however is another story and I got serious doubts.

• 

• 

• 

First we tried to “remeasure” the mast with a rope, but as that did not yield any satisfying/reassuring results to me I took a closer look at the map. The northwesterly entry to the sound does not have any height obstructions, but the waterway around the breakwater is 15m wide at most (as measured with google earth) and of somewhat uncertain depth.

Going by the old wisdom: “If you are in doubt you are not in doubt!” I decided that we give the northwesterly entry a chance and try it. Anyhow, I would rather like to have constant readings from the depth sounder and end up possibly with slightly scratched boat (and ego) than be guessing the clearing under the power line and then going out in a bright flash and a loud bang.

It turned out to be the right decision and after turning around the northern side of Nordøyy and under the constant beeping of the depth sounder warning me of water shallower that 3,5m we made our way to our spot for the coming night.

The rest of the day we spend exploring the island and I caught two pollocks on the northern tip of Sulo which Laila ate. We also collected some Polysiphonia lanosa along the shores to dry in the cockpit and is supposed to smell and taste like truffle.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Day 3 – Fedje

Since the weather was supposed to stay fine the coming days and we did not have any other pressing obligations waiting for us back home we decided to extend the trip by one more day and check out Fedje. We could see Fedje already heading to towards Nordøy/Sulo the day before and it is again only a short hop, maybe an hour and a half, further north.

During the last days we started to assemble a list of things we were missing on the boat, and Fedje being one of the more populated islands around had a supermarked where we intended to do some shopping.

After waking up we left the sound the same way as we came, passing the breakwater to the northwest and after leaving the sound heading straight north towards Fedje.

With the harbour guide we found the public floating bridge adjacent to the old sardine factory Fab. Nr 8/Bjellands Café easily and got immediately greeted by the owner. He told us where to fasten and pay the harbour fee of 250NOK which includes water, electricity and a shower. He told us to fasten as far to the tip of the float as possible, expecting several other boats, it being Friday and a sunny one on top of that.

First order of the day was to visit the local supermarked. It was a stone throw away from the mooring spot and you can either walk there 20 minutes or take a little yellow cable ferry for 25NOK/tour which you operate yourself. We decided to walk and take the cable ferry with whatever we buy in the store on our way back.

Midday was really hot and the sun was burning, so we took a break after grocery shopping and lunch; Laila dealing just fine with the heat but me on the verge of a sunstroke.

Late afternoon we took a “short” hike, which turned out longer than anticipated. We followed the Nordsjøløypa down south the island with the light house on the islands most southern point as the turning point back to where we started. Somehow I underestimated how long that trail/the island is, but I should have known better. We ended up with walking 3-4 hours through the sun until we arrived back at the boat.

• 

• 

• 

In the end we were just exhausted and hungry and decided to try out the restaurant, Bjellands Café, and I was looking forward to a cold beer and a burger. It turns it just reopened that day and still had some service issues to work out. The food was good but it was a bit confusing since we didn’t know the menu (we didn’t see any and found it online) or where to order and felt a bit ignored by the staff. At last Laila went inside and found out that you apparently have to order there.

Food and drinks then arrived promptly and we ended the evening with getting acquainted with three sisters from Bergen who were on the island for some celebration. One of them had a tiny little too much to drink and had to excuse herself to her room soon after. Later a guy from, of all places, Askøy joined the table and we had another beer. Exhausted from our hike we then excused us too and hit the hay.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Day 4 – Back Home

After getting up we headed straight back south after leaving the harbour. Except for one incident of a planing boat passing us way too close way too fast, resulting in Syvsover to heel at least 15° back and forth, we just motored along and enjoyed the otherwise calmness of the day.

• 

• 

We entered our marine in one piece, so I’d call the trip a success. Nothing major broke and we now know what we ended up with a shopping list of things we need on the boat for the next trip.