Flateyri and Isafjordur

We continue our circumnavigation of this wonderful island country of Iceland. So far we have been sailing more or less north from Reykjavik and reached Flateyri in the morning. This community is the largest in Onundafjordur (although still small with a population of a little over 200!) and got that way on account of it being a centre for shark fishing in the 1800s.

A 100 year old home is now a living museum. The interior remains the same as it was and provides a great feeling for what it was like to live there. The rooms were small but functional. Your faithful blogger was reminded that we seem to have more room than we need in our houses these days, and definitely too many bathrooms!

It is after all, spring, and this is the Arctic. Snow is still around in the nooks and crannies where it built up over the winter. Understandably we are seeing more of the white stuff up north, than we did in Reykjavik or even Snaefellsnes.

In the afternoon we went off in different directions to discover Isafjordur. This area was considered to be the finest fishing grounds in the whole of Iceland, and that is saying something! Some of us took a boat ride to Vigur Island and had a wonderful time learning about eider "farming".. The quotes are there because the birds remain wild but every effort is made to ensure that the females are safe on their nests and able to produce the down that is so sought after, even in the age of amazing man-made fills. An eider down quilt for the bed may cost you $10000 these days!

A few of the historic buildings on the island, such as the windmill,  are owned by the national museum of Iceland.

The windmill used to grind wheat to make flour

Female eiders were on the nest and quite tame as they are used to people. We were careful to be quiet and make no sudden movements. Eiders have been fully protected in Iceland since the 1700s. There is written records of eider down collection dating from the 1200s!

Male eiders take no part in incubation or looking after the young.

Vigur was teeming with Arctic Terns. In fact the whole of Iceland seems to be covered with them! This is a male displaying to passing females.

As an aside, one really gets the impression in Iceland that wildlife, particularly birds are everywhere. For people interested in nature, there are few better places to visit in the Arctic than this incredible Nordic country.

Snaefellsness Peninsula and environs

Our first first day in Iceland on Fram, and we have lots of things to do! Overnight we sailed in slightly loppy water to Grundarfjorder on the north coast of the Snaefellsness Peninsula. By the way, apologies to our Icelandic readers but your faithful blogger does not know how to type the 'eth' letter, which is the final 'd' in Grundarfjorder. The 'eth' is an old letter in the Icelandic alphabet that is pronounced 'th' as in 'the'. It looks like a 'D' with a little line through it. There is another old letter in Icelandic 'thorn' which is a softer 'th' as in 'thought'. The 'thorn' looks a little like a 'P'. Maybe by the time our Iceland adventure ends, I'll be able to produce these two interesting letters!

So back to where we were today. Several excursions were offered in the morning and afternoon and almost all of us took advantage of one or the other. The weather was very fine! Some Fram guests made a beautiful hike up to an great vantage point which afforded tremendous views of the area around Grundarfjorder.

Others took a bus and walking excursion over the Snaefellsnes (literally Snow mountain point or small peninsula) Peninsula. It's hard to believe that all the spectacular scenery was crafted completely by volcanic activity.Birds were abundant around the coastline including Northern Fulmar and Black-legged Kittiwake. Any ponds we saw had eiders on the water and shorebirds around the margins.

A Northern Fulmar displaying

A pair of Black-legged Kittiwakes

Over lunch our Captain repositioned the ship to Stykkisholmur, a little further along the north coast of the Snaefellnes Peninsula. There we had more great activities with some going on a small boat cruise to experience a few of the 3000 islands in Breidafjordur (wide fiord) and others hiking in a lava field called Berserkjahraun.

All in all we had a fantastic first full day of activities and look forward to tomorrow, and the day ofter that, and the day after that ......

Land of Fire and Ice

From the title of this blog you may guess where the intrepid Fram is on this planet. The fire comes from volcanic activity and the ice from ice caps and glaciers. We are of course in Iceland! You are not supposed to modify the adjective “unique” but in the case of Iceland I will make an exception. Iceland is incredibly, hugely, amazingly unique in so many ways. Iceland is a relatively young country geologically, built by volcanic activity on the mid-Atlantic ridge, a spreading zone which has North America moving west away from Europe and the north Atlantic ocean getting wider every year.  Most of the country is just south of the Arctic Circle so the climate is cool, oceanic, but lucky for Iceland, the south and west coasts are bathed by the relatively warm waters of the North Atlantic Drift, which keeps the whole of northern Europe warmer that it “should” be base on latitude. Nevertheless, given enough altitude, the winter snows do not melt and build to for icecaps and glaciers. This “fire and ice” comes together in spectacular fashion in a few places in Iceland where volcanoes erupt UNDER a glacier, with results you can only imagine! Fram does not come to Iceland very often so this is a very special tour.

We started today in the country’s capital of Reykjavik- literally “smoking bay” in the Ancient language of Icelandic. The country was settled by Norse peoples over 1200 years ago. They brought with them the old Norse language from places like Norway, and the language has remained more or less true since then. And now a few images from our ship photographer Hilde, just to give you a flavour of the place.

Here is the Fram alongside in the port of Reykjavik.

The city is a nice mix of old and new.

An example of new architecture is the modern Lutheran Cathedral.

Another example of a very modern building is the brand new cultural centre with concert halls, meeting rooms and galleries.

As it is our Fram boarding day, most of our passengers had recently traveled to Iceland to join the ship. They usually arrive a little tired and bewildered, unless perhaps they have been on Fram before (many come back!). Nevertheless, we have to conduct the manditory life boat and safety drill, The Fram is safety first! After dinner our Captain invited all passengers to a reception in the Panorama Lounge on deck 7. Then most went for an early night to prepare for the next 10 or so days, which will be amazing!

“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.