Melfjord & Nordfjord, Norway
A gorgeous morning! We are just north of the Arctic Circle: clear, sunny, warm and most importantly, no wind. A perfect day for kayaks! Deep in a fjord, complete with a river and a birch forest, hikes, Zodiac cruises and kayaking are offered. A clever, energetic person could do all three. For the truly enthusiastic there was also the polar plunge from the kayak platform. A fair number made the jump, a few of the staff were thrown in, a tradition dating back, I think, to at least an unruly childhood.
After lunch we moved offshore and made a landing at Lovund, a small town with a surprising number of fast ferries. Many people decided to climb a steep trail to view puffins. I, on the other hand, headed out to explore the sea with my dive buddy Magnus, also known as the Baker. No, really, he makes the bread and pastries on board!
I call this “The Edible Dive!” Not too deep, not too far from the ship, in the green of the plankton bloom, we find Life is in full feast here. About the first thing I see, right there on the sand, a king scallop shell larger than my hand. “Hmmm,” I thought, “Nice to see one of them, maybe there are some live ones.” And there are. Dozens, shell halves barely agape, slurping the plankton, then closing tight at my approach, not even letting me see their myriad baby-blue eyes.
Magnus alerts me to a bold crab sidling towards me. It has massive claws, one to crush, one to tear and all so delicious. I see another crab, move in for a close-up and startle a flounder, an American plaice to be more exact, and a fruitless chase ensues. But this delectable predator is very curious and swims near us for the rest of the dive. Ah yes, one last ‘hors d’oeuvre’ to mention, a huge, pink sea urchin, the edible urchin, pictured here. Gonad goulash anyone?
After dinner there is an official landing, on a small, rocky island, to stand about and toast the Arctic Circle. A good sleep tonight is not an option now, because who knows what tomorrow will bring.
