Straumhamn

Fresh water lake at Straumhamn with Hammerskaft peak.

Straumhamn, on the mainland in the very northeast of Vestfjord deserves its own chapter. This was our turning around point and although we were disappointed with the weather we were getting in Lofoten, to discover this treasure and the fine weather we had for the few days we were there, made for some great memories.

We approached in stiff winds, but once inside and at anchor the late evening sun shone on the surrounding hills. The anchorage off a beautiful sandy beach was a little tight and we put out lines to the rocks to prevent us swinging around. The views back to the west of the Lofoten, clouds now lifted, were stunning.

Helacious safely at anchor with lines ashore. Lofoten range in the distance.

We explored the area; the seawater inlet is separated from a freshwater lake by a narrow isthmus. The freshwater lake is only about 10 feet above sea level. In the valley beyond we spotted our one and only reindeer.

Mussels on rocky islet.

We ate well, the few days we were in Straumhamn. We found a small rocky island, just downstream from the freshwater lake outlet that was covered in mussels. They were concealed beneath heavy curtains of seaweed. Brian went fishing and cought not one, not two, but FOUR cod. Our freezer was full.

Before we knew it the calender indicated it was time to get going. We had to be in Trondheim by July 13th, 500 miles to the south. We had been told that after June the winds traditionally blow from the north, which would make our journey south a pleasant sail. This year, possibly due to the extreme heat wave in central Europe, the weather patterns were quite different. We never got those north winds and our journey south was a hard slog.

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The arctic plunge

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Lofoten, land of cloud