In the final instalment of his Arctic expedition, John and Cecienne pass through spectral villages and marvel at the beauty of Norway’s brisk waters one last time
Only if you have ever made a voyage in your own boat will you understand the thrill, the satisfaction, and the emotion of arriving at your destination. And the Lofotens are worth every minute of the journey we have taken to get here.
As we travel further north, the weather improves and the sunshine actually carries some proper warm despite the fact that we are a couple of hundred miles north of the Arctic Circle. And in that clear clean sharp light, the islands look totally amazing – everything we had expected and hoped for. When we arrived in Norway it was snowing and I was wearing gloves; now several hundred miles further north, the gloves have gone and the sunroof and canopies are open.
The tourism websites promote the archipelago as a great place to view the Northern Lights in winter and play midnight golf in summer. Kayaking, hiking – and if you’re really crazy they have some good surf breaks where, because of the water temperature, you will never have to worry about crowds! But most of all, it is the stunning beauty of the islands that has drawn us here.
Still, no matter how much research you do before a trip, your actual arrival brings its own surprises. And the only thing no guidebook or website can prepare you for is the all-pervading smell of drying cod!
Denne historien er fra September 2017-utgaven av Motor Boat & Yachting.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra September 2017-utgaven av Motor Boat & Yachting.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YACHT TRANSPORT
As the name suggests it's a means of having your boat moved professionally from one location to another. It might be as simple as hiring someone to tow your RIB a few miles down the road or as complex as shipping a superyacht halfway around the world.
HANDLE A SINGLE SHAFTDRIVE BOAT PART 1
Single shaftdrive boats are relatively rare these days but the reduced costs of buying, servicing and fuelling such a simple but reliable drivetrain does mean they are making a bit of a comeback.
COCKWELLS MOTOR LAUNCH
There can be very few boats that have appeared three times at the Southampton Boat Show and been sold off the stand each time.
INSTALLING AN AUTOPILOT
Rick Channon makes solo boating simple with a Raymarine Evolution Autopilot
GOOD AS NEW
Why fit a brand new engine when Volvo Penta's remanufacturing service can rebuild you an old one to the same standard for a fraction of the price?
BENETEAU SWIFT TRAWLER 54
Alex Smith heads to France's Beneteau HQ for a UK exclusive on what might just be the best Swift Trawler yet
ΧΟ EXPLR 44
Can XO's all-new aluminium flagship really make it big in the Med?
BUYING OUR FIRST CLASSIC
Instead of whiling away their retirement playing bowls, Rob and Shona Adams decided to invest their time and money in a classic Silver gentleman's yacht. Would the gamble pay off?
PRINCESS S65
Torn between the V and F Class flagships? The new S65 might be the boat you've been waiting for...
FERRETTI INFYNITO 90
Ferretti Yachts is diversifying into the long-range fast-displacement market. But can its debut model justify the hype?