Day 4 on the Hurtigruten (Sunday)

So we can say that this day began early on Sunday morning as we got on the Lofoten. The photo shows the view as we left Tromso and the closest we got to seeing the midnight sun. As we noted before we right away noticed the difference in size from our last boat. In fact the Nordkapp could hold almost 700 passengers while the Lofoten could hold a little over 200. We took a quick tour of the boat – it didn’t take long and went to our rooms. No elevators this time so we had to carry our bags down 2 flights of stairs from where we entered the boat.


First thing we noticed was that we had 2 rooms yet only 4 beds. The rooms were much smaller than before with barely room to store your suitcase if it didn’t fit under the bed. Also, both rooms only had a sink – there was a common toilet and shower outside the room. We had a bigger problem and that was we had 5 people and only 4 beds. The issue stemmed from the fact that Ethan was free and as such did pay for a bed. We asked if anything could be done and the only option was to do down another level to a room with 4 beds but NO porthole. So we moved (Nic, myself, and the kids) but with no porthole the room was as dark as a cave when we turned out the lights – not optimal with kids. And since we were lower in the boat you could hear the rushing water outside and it was loud. And things were so tight with the 2 sets of bunk beds everyone kept bumping their heads.

We lasted about an hour, well I did – I was a bit claustrophobic and I couldn’t take the water noise. So, we asked to be moved back to our original room as that was their only offer besides paying for another room. So at 2AM we moved 2 sleeping kids and all of our luggage that had been somewhat unpacked into our original room. Well, I think I slept with Ethan in a bed and Gwyneth took the other while Nic went to Jan’s room. These 2 rooms were no picnic either as it sounded like we were on top of the engine – it was LOUD. Eventually we all got some sleep, even if it was minimal.

I was up early – around 7AM – and Nic and the kids slept a little longer. I woke him up from Jan’s room to come sleep with the kids. I went to breakfast by myself and a little later Jan straggled in. Later still, we got the kids and Nic to breakfast. We were there as breakfast was ending around 10AM and a rather unfriendly worker asked if we had tickets that included breakfast. We did and showed her the cards. She took them and said she had to scan them but she was gone so briefly I think she didn’t do anything. From the picture you can see we are kicking it old school in the dining room.

On the positive side the weather was starting to turn better today – slowly. The picture shows the Risoyrenna channel that the captain had to negotiate through – it was only 21 feet deep. Notice all of the markers (posts) in the water.

The day included a few short stops. One where we went to the Hurtigruten museum for about 30-45 minutes. The kids and Jan had fun playing with a big toy boat. Ethan kept talking about it well after we had to leave. Nic and I went over the Finnmarken – an out of commission Hurtigruten ship that was built around the time of the Lofoten (our ship) - and you could walk through it. It didn’t feel too much different I will say- basically old.





Between stops we hung out in the saloon. This was pretty much our spot. The ship was nowhere near filled. I wonder why? This spot was nice because you could get out to the back deck of the boat very easily. You can see it through the windows. So the kids could stay inside and watch a movie while the parents went outside and watched scenery – for example. Today was also supposed to be the day for the spectacular Sea Eagle Safari, where you practically feed them out of your hands. Unfortunately, bad weather cancelled the trip.

As the consolation prize we got to go into the Trollfjord again, this time during the day. The way we were supposed to get to the Sea Eagle Safari was to pull along side another boat and walk a gang plank. Since it was cancelled we didn’t have to take that time and got to go to the fjord in the day time. (I think the parents were slightly relieved that they would not have to witness Ethan walking the gang plank which he surely would have needed to do himself.) This time everyone got to see it, although Jan had circled the boat several times looking for people because she had seen a loon-like bird. She eventually found me as I was looking for Nic too and I couldn’t find him. It turned out that he and the kids were up near the bridge. I think I saw a “dipper” – the Norwegian national bird. Well Nic and I saw it the first time we were in the fjord on the northbound trip. (And sorry, I can't figure out why this picture wants to rotate by 90 degrees.)

We had 2 more short stops that night. One in Svolvaer where Nic, Gwyneth, and Jan got to experience Magic Ice – the ice sculpture museum. Ethan had just fallen asleep and I was feeling the effects of little sleep and was looking forward to a little nap time on a quiet boat, since they either turned down or turned off the engine. I didn’t go, but they told me it was cold at 23 degrees Fahrenheit. The picture shows everyone relaxing on the upper deck of the boat. Ethan had started his nap already as you can see. This was also the place where they had all the cod drying racks. (Not the upper deck, the town of Svolvaer.) I got some better pictures this time and I will post them on facebook.

Somewhere in there we ate dinner. Nic and I had 2 hockey puck like hamburgers. Jan had a nice fried flounder plate. Ethan ate French fries and Gwyneth had a kids hamburger which she ate whole heartily again. Another thing that happened early today was Ethan got another head wound. He was looking out the window in the saloon (our favorite spot pictured above) and fell back and hit his head on the table. The table had a brass lip all the way around the edge and he cut his head open on it. Luckily it stopped bleeding after applying some pressure and some ice.

Last stop for the day was a place called Stamsund. If I remember correctly, Jan tried to get off the boat but the stop was so short they wouldn’t let her. By then, Nic, the kids and I had called it a night. And it turned out to be quite a night. After the we headed into open sea for about 3 to 4 hours and it was rough going. The boat was rocking A LOT and it was loud. I was so tired that I couldn’t get up to video it but I wish I had. It was something else. I almost had butterflies in my stomach from the up and down. Gwyneth and I were in one room and we luckily fell asleep early into “the ride”. Nic, Ethan, and Jan were in the other. Ethan quickly tossed his cookies or rather his bedtime snack – twice. Once on himself and once on Nic. He managed to sleep after that. Nic however, who is not the best at riding in boats to begin with, started to feel queasy after seeing Ethan get sick and he had spent some time sleeping outside on the deck chairs. He managed to keep everything down but did not manage alot of sleep for the day.