Hammerfest - The bear society closed - 30 September 2022

We left the boat and walked to the UNESCO heritage site with the pillar commemorating the collaboration of multiple countries in the termination of the size and shape of the earth.

After that we walked into Hammerfest, with limited time only to find the Bear Society closed.

Some photos of Hammerfest:

A waterfall in the side of the street.

Local church.

Many parks.

Polar Bear Society closed.

Hammerfest - Strove Geodetic Arc Column - 30 September 2022

Very dim Northern lights last night, fell asleep dressed in my going out in the cold gear - a lot of clothes are needed to stay warm in this icy cold, specially at night as the cold wind cuts through everything.

Places we travel through today with our only stop that we can get off for 1hr45 at Hammerfest. We were going to take a bus, but prior experience has shown that it takes 45 people a long time to get on and off the bus so may be quicker for us to walk.

5 minutes from where the ship docks is the Struve Geodetic Arc in Hammerfest.  A chain of survey triangulations stretching from Hammerfest in Norway to the Black Sea, through 10 countries and over 2,820 km. These are points of a survey, carried out between 1816 and 1855 by the astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve, which represented the first accurate measuring of a long segment of a meridian. This helped to establish the exact size and shape of the planet and marked an important step in the development of earth sciences and topographic mapping. It is an extraordinary example of scientific collaboration among scientists from different countries, and of collaboration between monarchs for a scientific cause. The original arc consisted of 258 main triangles with 265 main station points. The listed site includes 34 of the original station points, with different markings, i.e. a drilled hole in rock, iron cross, cairns, or built obelisks.

Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0.

A gas producer, paid for by the Italians.

Vardo - Fortress, Radar and a Witches Memorial - 29th September 2022

Places visited today on the south bound journey:

Late afternoon stop at Vardo with a hike led by the expedition team to a fortress, a witches memorial and a radar station.

The radar station. Paid for by the Americans which the Russians believe is spying on them, local gossip says the Russians were vindicated after strong wind blew off one of the shells and the radar was pointing at Russia.

The Fortress

Witches Memorial with all the people killed for the crime of witchcraft. So many people, first a confession, beaten out of the people. Then a trial in which it was tested if they could float. If they did not float, they drowned, if not, they were burned at the stake.

The church.

After a long day, 2 gym sessions and 2 walks, we sat at the bar and had a well deserved beer.

The Hurtigruten house red wine, very different to merlot but just as good made specifically by this Portuguese wine maker for Hurtigruten, apparently one can only buy this vintage on board.

The bar on the Hurtigruten - 28 September 2022

No access to the mancave so settled for the bar on the Hurtigruten.

The raindeer and the Sami - 28 September 2022

All the raindeer are owned by the Sami, the indigenous people of this area. Still nomadic, they migrate summer and winter and look after the raindeer.

Kirknes - Our turn around point - 29 September 2022

Woke up to the thought that we are at the turn around point. Many people are getting off here as for some it is considered the end of the journey. For us it is our turn around point as we go back to Bergen. It has been the most interesting journey so far. There was no Northern Lights last night so hopefully we will see them again tonight. We got off at 9:00 in Kirkenes.

Places we pass through today with this first outing at Kirkenes

There is much snow king crab influence as one of the industries in the area.

Iron ore has been mines here and was on of the original industries. In difficult conditions, this doctors wife Ellisif Wessels kept in touch with the rest of Europe, using her photography to try and bring change to the working conditions of the iron ore miners.

The Sami are the indigenous people of this area and they own all the raindeer. The raindeer still migrate in the winter and summer helped by tha Sami as their grazing areas have been reduced due to increase in industry and population.

The local church.

Russian influence and WW2 monument giving homage to the Russian liberators of the town.

Coming into Kirkenes harbour:

Lovely gardens in a less affluent town of Norway, bomb shelters tour available showing the left over evidence of WW2

Unexpected visit to the Ritz

The scenery on our way into Kirkenes.

Honningsvag - Most Northern Town - Arctic 71° 10' 21" degrees latitude - 28 September 2022

Last night we saw the Northern Lights, good and proper. Michael Huawei P30 was the only phone that captured any of the images.

Michael got up twice in the night after the notice given on the intercom. I couldn't, too tired. Michael had a point, he does not want to have any regrets so will get up whenever needed. I believe that we will see more lights tonight.

Today we went via:

Hammerfest was known as the northmost city but has lost its title to Honningsvag. We walked this fishing village. No burglar bars, no locked bicycles, no alarms. Was so surreal to see open doors, and where soccer balls are left on the playing field.

Graffiti;

There is a wall of mountains:

We stopped at a coffee shop owned by Abdullah originally from Guinea, he gave us pasteis de nata, cinnamon bun, lemon mirangue and a gorgeous french confectionery, as well as coffee and hot chocolate!!

Awesome day ☀️ going for a run!