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| Fram, and Polar Cirkel boats with Captain Andreasson in Trollfjord |
This morning we wove through the picturesque narrow Raftsund Strait. You could feel Fram leaning into the turns of the tight passage. At 08:30 we arrived very near the entrance to Trollfjord. There waiting for us in his own small boat was one of the Captains of Fram, Rune Andreasson! 30 lucky passengers had booked an excursion aboard our very own Polar Cirkel boats and Captain Andreasson was going to lead our small Norwegian Armada into Trollfjord and then on a long tour ending in the port of Solvaer.The mouth of the Trollfjord where it joins Raftsund Strait is a mere 100 meters wide and at its widest point is only 800 meters. The mountains surrounding Trollfjord are 600 to 1100 metres high and the fjord itself is 72 metres at its deepest point.
Needless to say it is spectacular. To make it even more exciting two very large White-tailed Sea-eagles were soaring around inside the fjord. We got some really good looks at these magnificent birds of prey. White-tailed Sea-eagles are closely related to Bald Eagles. They are the fourth largest eagle in the world. The largest population of these majestic birds is along the coast of Norway. There are approximately 10,000 pairs in the world.
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| Rainbow in Trollfjord |
As Fram exited Trollfjord back into Raftsund the Polar Cirkel boats went on their own route to Solvaer. A shallower route that Fram wouldn’t be able to follow. About two hours later at noon, Fram and the Polar Cirkel boats rejoined at the pier in Solvaer. No matter whether you went on Fram or in the Polar Cirkel boats it was one of the more spectacular sections of scenic cruising in the world.
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| Fantastic scenery on the way to Solvaer |
Fram spent the afternoon in Solvaer but there was a shuttle available throughout the afternoon to the picturesque community of Henningsvaer. It is one of the larger fishing villages in the Lofoten Isands and a very busy tourist attraction in the peak summer months. We were able to take a stroll through the attractive town, visit a coffee shop or stop in one of the gift shops that were still open.
At 20:15 we left the pier of Solvaer. After a summer of 24 hours of daylight 7 days/week it was strange for it to be so dark. But maybe, if the clouds parted just a little we would get a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis.
