You've read Robin's PCs for the last 3 weeks and wondered why Norway was sunnier and hotter than the UK, now you can read a PC from us where things are back to ?"Normal"? You've read Robin's PCs for the last 3 weeks and wondered why Norway was sunnier and hotter than the UK, now you can read a PC from us where things are back to ?"Normal"?
Well, that doesn't sound a very positive note, so let me tell you that as we approached H'sund at 37,000 feet the air was like crystal and we could practically count the deckhands on the fishing fleet dotted on the caerulean sea. And so it continued for the rest of the afternoon - the greenest of green fields with nordic horses grazing therein, swans a-swimming with their cygnets 4 on the lake near the airport, sailing boats heeling before a stiff northwesterly, red and white timber houses by the waters edge etc etc. Just the thing to wake us up after a completely full flight from Stansted.
Choosing not the first, but the largest taxi in the rank, we made the aquaintance of Edvaard who took us to not the first Rema 1000 in the Haugesund area, but the largest. John G & Charles were dropped off with the task of procuring Voltair's vittals. Eventually we all congregated in the sun at the azure waters of Storevik to cast off. We unfurled the jib, just like true sailors, but kept the covers on the main and mizzen, rather more like true divers! Voltair ran down the sound before a stiff breeze and we anchored for the first night in a little inlet well protected from the fresh northerly that was still blowing.
On Wednesday morning we started the diving programme. After an initial skirmish, from which Charles opted out due to a poorly ear, to get the scallop catching skills re-honed, we found the wreck called the Dresden, located from information provided by local divers. The Dresden is a large (10,000 tonnes?) cargo ship and was a casualty in WW2.
Here are a couple of underwater shots of the Dresden.
We then motored up to Haugesund and berthed 3-out against some motor cruisers just north of the bridge. We managed to gatecrash the first night of the "sildajazz" festival and talked to the very friendly, but often alarmingly eccentric locals (how many norwegians support Man City or Ipswich town?). Avoided the red sweatshirted ticket collectors to enjoy average beer and excellent jazz aboard the Norsk Hydro hospitality ship.
The catering has been up to the customary standards- John G did us proud with medallions of pork tonight, following various chicken, scallop and sild dishes on the previous 2 evenings. We close with a panorama of the cabin - JG on the wheel and JK attacking a hot computer
Tomorrow, another dive on Dresden, more scallop and Frank collecting.
Until next time
Charles, JK, Bob and John