The journey to the starting point Mehamn slowed me down as hoped. Somehow always waiting and doing nothing and yet it was never boring. Already the departure in Zurich took place with about 1:45 hours delay. Stopover with overnight stay at Copenhagen airport and then on to Oslo. Luggage received and again checked in, something to eat and already it went on to Tromsø. From Røros we flew quasi contrary to my planned route southward. It was exciting to have seen Feren, Skjækarfjellet, Blåfjellet, Limingen, Namsvatnet and Børgefjell from above. The further north, the more compact the snow cover became. From Okstinden to Saltfjellet at the Arctic Circle the clouds obscured the view. After that the flight route deviated again from the hiking route. On the height of Narvik we overtook then the MS Polarlys of the Hurtigruten, on which I am now straight direction Honningsvåg and Mehamn on the way.
The approach to Tromsø with the deep snowy mountains in the background and turquoise blue water in bays with white beaches and the blue-black fjords was just spectacular!
With a small propeller plane of Widerøe we went on to Hammerfest. Like in school: back row and window seat 😃. Overflight of the Lyngen Peninsula with a view of the last campsite on our last Norway trip in 2019, the Øksfjordjordjøkelen and view into Reisadalen. Finnmarkvidda also seems to still have plenty of snow. With the current temperatures, it should be gone by the time I get through there.
In Hammerfest I pick my luggage and go to the only tourist sight, the Meridianstøtte. This monument commemorates the survey of the continent. Here at the northernmost point begins the longitude, which ends at the Danube delta in Izmail, Ukraine, after 2’820 km. It’s astonishing that I’m also covering 2’800 km, beginning as of this evening and still “only” reach the southern end of Norway!
A bit over-nighted, I move into a hotel, sleep deeply for a few hours and then prepare my pack. A Norwegian Kveldsmat and then again off to bed.
Shortly after 5 o’clock I embark and make myself comfortable in the fauteuil on the empty panorama deck. Until the breakfast the diary is updated, photos sorted out and the shopping list for Honningsvåg completed.
In beautiful weather and quite calm sea we sail via Havøysund to Honningsvåg. Reindeer graze on the shores and a small humpback whale accompanies us through Magerøyasundet. However, for a useful photo he was always a tad too fast, or my finger too slow.
In Honningsvåg my first stop was the sports store. Gas for the stove for about the next 10 days until Lakselv, some Turmat as emergency rations or for a menu change. Afterwards I caused an ebb for cashew nuts in the local grocery store and bought what it just needs for a few days on the trail.
Back on the ship everything had to be compacted and stowed in or on the backpack. Meanwhile, the pack no longer looks quite so cute. But the motivation to eat really regularly has increased significantly 😜.
For lunch I had the menu 1+: Bread with cream cheese and eplesider. Then the obligatory espresso with kanelsnurre at Honni Bakes. Already in 2019 we treated ourselves here after a damp and cold night in the tent at Nordkapp with a hot coffee and pastries.
Soon the boat leaves Honningsvåg again. Next stop Kjøllefjord and then around my actual starting point Kinnarodden to Mehamn. And then finished hanging around. My tour begins. It will take a while until the next post. First my track leads for almost 250 km through Ifjordfjellet and the Gaissane to Lakselv, where’s again electricity, food and civilization. Ha det bra!