“When anxious, uneasy and bad thoughts come, I go to the sea, and the sea drowns them out with its great wide sounds, cleanses me with its noise, and imposes a rhythm upon everything in me that is bewildered and confused.” (R.M.Rilke)

What is that noise in the middle of the night? Sounds like a mild form of scratching wood. I switch on the light and squint into the room until I find the source: It’s two spare batteries that roll back and forth on my cabin table. The ship is rocking. Now my body is awake enough to feel it, too. Up and down, heaving quite a bit, being lightweight one moment, and pretty darn heavy a few seconds later. It’s inevitable, but gentle, smooth. I stash the batteries away and go back to sleep, smiling.

The morning starts with an announcement. Due to the strong movement the bridge visits have to be postponed to the afternoon. It is much shakier up there than on deck 4, so everybody understands.

Lectures, however, are being held, and the brave audiences cling to their chairs while listening. It’s actually quite funny when the whole group suddenly sways in unison to one side or another, many giggles are heard.

Not everybody’s stomach is up to the movement, many prefer to stay flat out in bed - which is actually the best thing you can do when seasickness hits you. Look at the bright side: One only gets sick on a sea day, and on a sea day you don’t miss much…

So, this is it, the final day of this voyage, huh? It’s incredible to remember the many different landscapes and places we have seen, from the various kinds of Norway’s paradisiac beauty to the barren hunches of the North Atlantic Isles. And now the windblown, wavy ocean, teeming with seabirds whose biggest pleasure it seems to be hovering around us. The gale takes off the white caps of the waves and blows them across the moving surface of the sea. It is a moving sight, and quotations of great poets spring to mind. See above.

A sea day is also the opportunity to finish up things on board, last chapters in diaries are written, books are finished, collections of photographs are ordered. It's also the time to visit the bridge, get a glance across the sea from the captain's point of view.

Karin’s embroidery class has the terminal lesson, and the ladies present their results with pride.

Unfortunately also luggage has to be packed, and the departure prepared. Tomorrow this journey is over. Shame.

But then again, many are looking ahead in excitement, as they have not planned to arrive in Iceland only to leave it already on the same day. Brand-new maps are unfolded and brooded over, addresses of rental car companies are verified, and of course the expedition team is questioned greatly about this amazing Island, born from the Earth’s molten interior.

Tomorrow Island, so not the end, but a beginning!
So many smiles at the Captain's Farewell toast. We will come back.

The islands of sheep

Better known as the Faroe Islands, this archipelago consisting of 18 major islands was our last stop on our way to Iceland. Located about halfway between Norway and Iceland, the islands are named after the Old Norse word of Færøerne wich means “sheep”.

A name that is still more than appropriate today as the first thing many of us noticed while driving out of town for the excursion, was the number of sheep and lambs that walk on (almost) every corner of the road! A very nice sight but quite dangerous at times. They also graze on tops of very high and steep cliffs which is a very impressive sight as well. One of our excursions took us to the other side of the main island by bus, to the village of Vestmanna. The bus trip to get there was very nice with stunning views over the fjords and mountains of which many tops were still covered with snow. Once at our destination, we boarded a little boat that took us along the cliff shores North of Vestmanna which was an incredible experience that amazed everybody including staff. Our captain sailed right between cliffs and we were surprised by his sailing skills as we got very very close to the walls. This also allowed us to spot nestling guillemots and the world famous puffins! They were sitting on the cliffs, flying over us and floating on the water! The landscapes we saw along the way were very Jurassic Park – like. Bright green cliffs rising from the water and surrounded by picturesque fog. Everybody had a smile from ear to ear once we got back on the bus to Torshavn. Definitely an excursion  to remember for a lifetime.

Our guided tour of Torshavn allowed guests to discover the city that is the capital of these islands and that has most of the architectural and historical highlights. The tour also included a visit of the southern village of Kirkjubøur which is the country's most important historical site with the ruins of the Magnus Cathedral.

We also had the architecture an wollen design excursion that took guests on a guided walk through the old town of Torshavn. Then they went to a shop where they were introduced to the traditional handicraft techniques of the wool and of course had the opportunity to buy something. Our afternoon consisted of a few lectures to enhance our knowledge about Vikings and volcanoes and the Hardanger embroidery group worked on their project again with our Expedition Leader. We are again heading for open sea on the way to Iceland.

BREAKING NEWS! READ THE LATEST! ONE MORE SHIP IN ANTARCTICA!

Most of you know that Hurtigruten changed owner very recently.

First thing they realized is the enormous potential of Expedition - they just needed to take one look at FRAM’s success.

And they took action right away. Here’s the result:

As of now (!), Hurtigruten is turning MS Midnatsol into Hurtigruten’s second Expedition vessel in Antarctica. And here she is:

Yes, you are right: She is bigger than FRAM. Quite so. MS Midnatsol will take up to 500 people to Antarctica, starting in the season 2016/2017.

And as she is bigger, we have the opportunity to diversify our adventures from now on:

Midnatsol will offer different itineraries, including the Chilean Fjords (turnover will be Punta Arenas), and also a different philosophy: Journeys will be not as physical as on FRAM, but we shift a lot of weight over to edutainment, science, and deep experiences of all sorts. For singles, couples, and families alike!

There will be a Media Center, teaching you to take photographs, movies and work on them. On Site.

There will be a Science Program, basically a beginner’s laboratory, where you conduct small experiments, analyze samples with microscopes and many more. So you’ll have a hands-on experiences, accompanying the quality lectures and the landings.

There will be insight in history, philosophy, literature; there will be yoga, children’s activity programs, and so much more unique things.

Of course, there will also be landings, walks, and kayaking. You will even be able to get a beginner’s kayak license on board.

And FRAM? She will get a big boost, too. As we will limit the guest capacity to 200, all the landings in Antarctica will be open to her now. All of them! That means we will be going exploring to places we never have been before (and where Midnatsol can’t go). We will roam and explore full throttle, go snowshoeing, skiing, snorkeling. Some hikes will be turned into overnight expeditions, we will do like the famous explorers did. Go further, go bolder. FRAM-style.

Well, isn’t that exciting news? Please help us spread them!

The Most Expensive Haircut in History

Small, almost attached to Scotland, but nevertheless a world in its own right; the Orkney Islands are a flat-lying, extensive archipelago of 60 islands, 20 of them inhabited by just about 20000 Orkadians, most of them on the main island, which they call “Mainland” (they love it simple).

Being as close as 10 kilometers to Scotland, the people beyond the Pentland Firth still have developed their own language, Norn, which is unique and a linguist’s delight.

All in all, the Orkadians are proud enough to be neither Scottish, and certainly not British.

With a population of just over 8000, Kirkwall is quite a big city, at least compared to what we have seen in Norway in the last few days.

Whereas in the olden days sheep farming and fishery were the only source of income, there is now quite an emphasis on tourism, which of course benefits from the short distance to Scotland; Aberdeen has established a regular ferry connection to Kirkwall, and so the streets feature decidedly more souvenir shops than they did earlier.

Another contemporary way of making money is heralded en route to the islands - oil. The North Sea is literally peppered with oil rigs, impressive structures that don’t really add to the beauty of the ocean but are a working environment for many.

This is a stark contrast to the lifestyle of the first settlers who came here. By sheer luck and gale force the most amazing stone age site was discovered in 1850. Skara Brae is so well-kept, it is hard to believe that it was built already 5000 years ago. But already then people took advantage of the fertile soil and the riches of the sea. At that time the main island apparently served as a religious realm as well: The Ring of Brodgar is one of the best stonehenges in the world.

Life has been busy on the islands ever since: The Picts are mentioned in Roman documents of the 3rd century, and of course the Vikings had a saying here. After Harald “Bel Hair” I. won the battle near Stavanger in the 9th century, he finally decided to have his hair cut. His barber was no other than Ragnvald Eysteinsson “the Mighty”, who then received the Orkney Islands as a fiefdom. And we think haircuts are expensive today…

Definitely the most dominating sight of Kirkwall is the St. Magnus Cathedral. Erected around 1137, its beautiful red sandstone structure became not only an impressive monument of young Norwegian christianity, but was the outpost of the archdiocese of Trondheim.

The Norwegian influence waned after the Kalmar Union with Denmark, and came to a halt after the Northern Isles were given as Princess Margareta of Denmark’s dowry, when she got wed to King James III. of Scotland.

Fortunately, otherwise we wouldn’t have gems like the Highland Park Distillery, that opens the doors for a demonstration of how to make real good Scottish Whisky.

Speaking of which:

Not Champagne, but something much rarer is used after our departure from the Orkneys in a special ceremony - the baptism of two new boats.

During our expeditions to the polar areas we have seen a growing demand for extended boat rides into the most remote corners of our itinerary, where even FRAM can’t go. These two large and powerful Polar Cirkel boats are the ticket for even more awe-inspiring excursions, and we are looking forward to seeing them in icy action.

So Expedition Leader Karin and Doctor Milagros sprinkled (or spilled..?) some of the precious FRAM explorer whisky over the two mighty boats, under roaring applause of the crew.

The names of the two new boats? Amundsen and Nansen.

Exploring the Shetland Islands

We said goodbye to Norway and headed for open sea towards the Shetland Islands. Our crossing happened during the night and in the morning, we woke up to the sight of dozens of green islands passing by the ship. Soon after, we were already in Lerwick, the main port here in the Shetlands. With a population of 7500, the town has a cozy atmosphere and is easily explored by foot. This is also the best way to see all the little streets that are too narrow for big vehicles like buses. Our guests were free to roam around and visit the museum, tourist office, shops and notable buildings like the Town hall, Fort Charlotte and the Clickimin Broch.

Many of us also hiked around the town along the coast where many grey seals were lying on the rocks and where tiny Shetland ponies were grazing the fields. The morning was also the departure time for two of our excursions that many of the guests joined. The scenic mainland drive took us to Jarlshof, which is the best known prehistoric archaeological site in the Shetlands. It contains remains dating from 2500 BC up to the 17th century AD. The name Jarlshof meaning "Earl's Mansion" is a coinage of Walter Scott, who visited the site in 1814 and based it on the Scottish period name of "the laird's house". It was more than a century later before excavations proved that there had actually been Viking Age settlements on the site. Walking through the remains of this settlement really allowed us to get a feeling of how these buildings were put together and what their layout was.

The tour also took our guests to Hoswick, where they could get an understanding of the history and culture of the Shetland Islands from the very informative displays. They also sell typical knitwear here and several of the guests grabbed the opportunity to get some locally made souvenirs for home!
Our second excursion took us to the settlement of Scalloway, where we were able to visit the museum and the Scalloway Castle which was built in 1600.

By this time, the sun had come out and the weather got very comfortable. On the way we stopped at a viewpoint, which we also did on the way back where we got to have an idea of how many islands the Shetlands are composed of. Views wear clear and winds were low. Very pleasant conditions to take in the surrounding landscape. Our guide was kind enough to answer all sorts of questions and taught us a lot when it comes to economy and culture of the Shetland Islands. 
Our hotel manager accompanied some of the guests to a place called Jamieson´s of Shetland. It is a local wool shop that has specialised in the wool from the native Shetland sheep for already 5 generations! Again, a good occasion to get some locally made souvenirs. Once everybody was back on-board, it was time again for the embroidery group to meet up to practice their Hardanger embroidery skills. Shortly after, Fram departed Lerwick sailing through the islands with a mesmerizing sunset on our starboard side. It was the perfect ending to our day in the Shetland Islands and a moment to remember how lucky we have been with the weather during the trip.

To celebrate and finish the evening in (Fram) style, we hosted a crew show in the Observation Lounge so our crew could show of their skills and talents for us to enjoy and admire. It was a very cheerful evening and we are very much looking forward to the next days of our trip. 

Land's End

This voyage offers the unique opportunity to experience Norway “from within”: After having had all these comprehensive insights from our Man of Fjærland, Olav, we are entirely in Expedition Leader Karins backyard today.

This is to be taken literally, as the landing site on the island of Atløy is in fact the yard next to her boat house. She even had an impeccable stairwell built for people to get off the boats, just before we arrived.

What a change of landscape we are experiencing! No longer are we surrounded by looming fjord walls, gushing waterfalls and the debris fans of the numerous avalanches that are a hallmark of the inner fjord land, an open sky is above us, unhindered and blue. The grey hills are round and gentle, peacefully sticking their heads out of lush pastures, populated by sheep of several generations. The mood is pastoral, serene, and it affects everybody who goes ashore immediately.

Not only we can visit the ancient fishing gear of Karin’s family in the boat house and take a sunny stroll to the old community church where guided tours are given and a little concert is played. For those who want to combine the feast for the eyes with a little amuse-gueule, our chef Eirik comes ashore with no less than 10 kilo of scallops, caught and bought only last night from a local fisherman.

Eirik is also an expert outdoor cook, and in no time he has a fireplace built with the local rocks. Five minutes later the scallops are sizzling in the pan, and we have the most precious, delicious seafood on an all-you-can-eat base!

And Karin’s smile reaches from ear to ear, because all her family is around, parents, brother, aunts. A full family gathering, all of them helping, explaining, showing, smiling.

What a start for the day, especially for the kayakers, who could explore this wonderland from sea level.

When glaciers reach the sea, they turn their erosional power from a narrow blade into a wide grater, serrating the coastline into many low, rounded individuals - islands.

Norway has an incredible number of them, and just after lunch we visit the absolute westernmost of those, Værlandet and Bulandet.

Værlandet has only 9 square kilometers but a striking geology. A deep green metamorphic rock crops out next to “Black Beauty”, a dark breccia that only occurs on this small island. Worldwide. And that’s not the end of it: On a very small area, the breccia is overlain by “Picasso”, a very, very colorful conglomerate. May these names not be overly scientific, they describe well what you see. 

Together they tell a fascinating story of supercontinents, ruptures and erosion, a wild chapter of Earth’s history. And as they are exceptionally pretty, they get fashioned into table tops and exported around the world.

Knowing this, our guests are very pleased as owner Hjerman presents them with a little piece of the rock.

Now we enter a strange world, the westernmost outpost of Norway - Bulandet. It is not an island, but an archipelago, consisting of 365 islands and islets (So you have one for every day of the year). Some of them are so low that they are under the water line at hight tide.

Our guide Ruth tells us interesting stories from the times when there was no bridge, no connection but the boat. Many of the islands accommodate a single house, because there is simply not more room for more.

Marrying into this place sometimes occasionally entailed a nasty surprise when the bride saw the smallness of it for the very first time.

But it is beautiful, no doubt, in a romantic, wild way. The thought that this is indeed the absolute end of the country adds to it, especially when you stand on the hill and face West.

Back in Værlandet we get more information/demonstration from Ruth, who is a walking encyclopedia of the island’s history, shown at its best in the small Peter Hansen Museum, next to the harbour.

Speaking of which: As we return from our fine excursion, we find Ralf there, playing his accordion together with a local musician. A wonderful atmosphere rounds up the day.

And now it’s time to weigh the anchor and go even further west.

Beyond Land’s End.

Our Nasjonaldagen in Norway!

Our day in Olden was one of celebration. Locally known as Syttende Mai, the 17th of May marks the Norwegian Constitution Day and is the official national holiday. Fram arrived in the village of Olden in the morning to spend this special day with the locals. Before going ashore, our captain gathered us outside on the deck for a speech + toast and to sing the anthem.

We all made an effort to wear a nice outfit and some of us even wore the traditional Bunad like almost all of the inhabitants of Olden did. It was then time for a service in the old church of the village which many of our guests joined. The big happening of the morning was of course the parade. This is a tradition for the National Day and we were all invited to join the walk for which we had given everyone a little flag to wave with. It was a perfect way to mingle with the locals and get a taste of how this day is celebrated. Our walk was one to remember.

Smiling faces, cheering children, music and the perfect weather made for a celebration we will not forget. The parade came by the ship that by that time was proudly blowing its horn, which would resonate in the surrounding valleys for almost a minute. We ended the parade at the music pavilion in the "centre" of the village, where we had a few more speeches and took the time to sing more songs.

Most of us took the opportunity to visit the village and the area before going back on the ship. Our Expedition Team members Steffen and Tessa organised a breathtaking excursion entitled: Via Ferrata Loen. The excursion was more of a climb than a walk and offered participants views to remember for a lifetime. The somewhat challenging ascent to the 1010 meter top was described in our excursion Handbook as an "airy" experience. And airy it was.

The steep terrain and the 4 hours of climbing definitely put the fitness of our guests and staff to the test. Judging by their faces and stories once back, the effort was more than worth it. Their pictures speak for themselves. 

Our afternoon consisted of a series of lectures about glaciers, Vikings, and practical information regarding the next day(s). We also served traditional Norwegian dishes in the Observation Lounge for people to enjoy while admiring the scenery we were sailing through.

Karin (our Expedition Leader)´s Hardanger Embroidery group met again to make some progress on their project. They already started cutting out the blank spaces between the stitches, which is definitely one of the most concentration demanding parts of the class. However, this was not a problem as participants were very motivated by the embroidery art they got to see all day on the traditional outfits from the locals. 
To end this day filled with tradition, we organized a Norwegian Folkdance on deck 7 and many of the guests were happy to join. We all had a great time dancing together which was a perfect ending to our National Day in Norway. 

Blue Skies, Grey Skies - who cares, we are sailing again!

Before midnight the sound of the announcement bell goes into every cabin - this must be something BIG.

It is the captain’s voice, clearly with a timbre of ease. And indeed, he is the bringer of good news: The damage is fully repaired, testing successful, FRAM is ready to leave. And a short while after we feel the familiar vibration going through the vessel. Our stay in Eidfjord is over, we will be in Balestrand as planned.

All in all, not much damage. What a relief!!!

In the morning we pass the important landmark  - Sognesjøn, the gate to the second largest fjord in the world, only beaten by the unreal Scoresby Sound in East Greenland.

As if the weather is not approving of us leaving the Hardangerfjord, the skies are grey and cloud-laden. But the atmosphere could not be more serene, everybody is so happy to be sailing again. The morning lectures are very well attended, and there is quite a bunch of them.

And then we have a extra excited Olav today, as we are visiting his roots, which lie in the scenic Fjærlandsfjord. His family has been there since the 16th century, and today we get a first-hand account of everything that has happened ever since.

The afternoon finds us arriving in Balestrand, basically just around the corner from Fjærlandsfjorden.

This is the center of art, youth education, and cider. There is statues and monuments galore, and Ralf has a handsomely sized group for his cultural walk through the town.

Balestrand is also the departure point for a lovely hike into the adjacent mountains, a pretty steep thing to do. Quite many of our hikers had given up in the past, long before we reached our goal, Orrabenken, nearly 400m above the fjord and with a breathtaking view.

Not so today: Everybody not only makes it, but also continues further up towards Balastøylen, until the deep wet snow of springtime forces us to return.

By the way, the senior member of our hiking group is 87 years old… what an inspiration!