Hurtigruten Day 6: Raftsund, Trollfjord, Tromsø, Artic Circle Baptism

We slept away the passage of the Lofoten as also the harbours Stokmarknes, Sortland and Risøyhamn. While we are still in the shower, the ship leaves the harour of Harstad. On the way to our breakfast, we do the obligatory check of the weather. It is clowdy today, but the sun appears between the gaps, thus, it doesn't look bad. The sea condition is also harmless, thus, everything is perfect! During the further way to Finnsnes, the weather is increasingly loosening. In the east, at the mainland, we see massive mountains covered with snow. At the lower area, everything is verdant green and it looks like there is some agricultural productivity.

After the relatively openend Vågs fjord,we continue to the Tranøy fjord that is more narrow. Soon we are in Finnsnes. This time, we come off the ship and watch the loading activities from the land. After half an hour, the ship already casts off again and majestically glides under the big bridge to the island Senja, the second biggest of Norway, through to the Gisund. The ship always goes close to the country, so that there is much to see. The next "attraction" is the passage through the Straums fjord, where in former times, a current dependant of the tides, the "Rystraumen", caused significant problems to the shipping through strong whirlpools. I do not notice much about it, at most that the ship turns a little away form the back side to the left and the right. Rita does not notice anything, as she is having an afternoon nap.

Tromsø appears. The two bridges are already visible from a distance. These two bridges connect the mainland with the city on an island and the other islands at the west and in the mainland, in Tromsdalen, the famous Arctic Sea Cathedral. During our city tour we will also visit this Cathedral. It is 02.50 p.m., we land. The buses are already waiting and a communicative female tour guide greets us. First, we go to the "Polaria", an adventure aquarium with a panorama cinema (film about Spitzbergen) and a seal show. Then the bus starts the city tour. We quickly pass the cathedral, one of the biggest wood churches of the country, the most northern located brewery of the world (Mack), the university with an hospital and then we finally cross the 1000 m long and 43 m high Tromsøbrua (Tromsø bridge) in order to get to the Artic Sea Cathedral.

The triangular shape of the church segments should remind on the dry fish skeleton. But I also think of ice floes that pile up on each other. We feel really comfortable in the interior, the shape of a tent ceiling is somehow protective. The church is accessed through the west portal and one looks at the huge glass window behind the altar at the east gable. The glass mosaic of 140 m² represents the Parusia of Christ. The light effect of the narrow glass windows between each of the concrete segments is also interesting. The only thing that is bothersome for the visitor are the "candelabrums" that are hanging amidst. An interesting church, and we both agree that we have to come back again to this place in order to visit the midnight concert.

After the bus brought us back to the harbour, we have still a little time to have a walk and we visit the oldtown. Between the common new buildings there are still some old wood houses and buildings of Art Nouveau, all carefully restored. In the Storgata, the pedestrian area, there are shops as at home.

We cast off during dinner. We continue our way between the islands. At the starboard, the mountains heighted up to 1800 m covered with snow of the Lyngen Alps slowly appear. But from 08.30 p.m. we are distracted, as then our "Arctic Circle Baptism" takes place.

First, it is heatedly sent for King Neptun, then all are sequentially baptized, with a dipper of water with ice cubes into the collar of the shirt. In case of the ladies, it goes sometimes also into the neck line! The female tour guide of a little group is hit the hardest, as she gets the whole rest of the bucker poured into. As documentation, everybody gets a certificate of baptism and as consolation and reheat a little drink. Everything is good fun and also the only arranged animation. It is bearable. But in the course of the time, the wet clothes become increasingly uncomfortable and getting changed can't be avoided.

Shortly after 09.00 p.m. we pass the next ship of the line, thr "MS Polarlys". At 10.22 p.m. we are in Skjervøy where we only have the usual short stop. We continue further in direction to the Øks fjord over the open sea and for the first time, we can watch the sun "not setting down" at mignight, accompanied by an endless red and golden coloured afterglow! We stand at the bow on deck no. 5 and gaze fascinated at this incredible atmosphere until late after midnight.

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Author: Rudi Kronenberger; Copyright: Patrick Wagner, www.urlaube.info