Our first full day on the ferry started cloudy and became grayer as the day went on, but this didn’t stop us from seeing the sights.  The ship makes about a half dozen stops per day at small towns along the water and passengers have the opportunity to disembark and explore (or take photos of friends back on the boat – see Nick waving on the lower balcony).  One such stop was at the tiny town of Stokmarknes, which featured a museum devoted to the history of the Hurtigruten Ferry service.  What began as a twice weekly express steamer route from Bergen to Tromso later developed into daily mail delivery and tourist cruises along the entire western coast.  The fleet currently has 11 vessels – one of the retired ones is now on display ashore at the museum.

The land here is sparsely inhabited but from time to time we pass small farms and fishing communities nestled against the shoreline with a backdrop of snow-capped peaks.  One highlight along the journey was the Trollfjord, whose narrow walls leave barely enough room for a ship our size (in fact, they won’t enter when there is threat of rockfall).  Many of the passengers flocked to the bow of the boat to watch us glide between the cliffs. 

After dinner we reached Svolvaer, where we were greeted in the harbor by a statue of the Fiskarkona, the fisherman’s wife.  We were scheduled here for a land excursion through the Lofoten Islands, correctly described in all the guidebooks as a not-to-miss destination.  In all, there are 80 islands, only 8 of which are inhabited, 5 of which are connected by road.

Passing by the locally famous Svolvaergeita rock formation (the Svolvær Goat, complete with pinnacles resembling horns) on the way out of town, our tour bus navigated narrow winding roads and bridges to the destination of Henningsvær.   This is a working fishing village whose picturesque setting has drawn the attention of the tourist industr, and is now home to many fine craft and souvenir shops best explored on foot.  We had a few other short stops on our bus tour, including the grand Viking valley.  Here a local farmer dug up remains of a Viking longhouse that was reconstructed in detail as a living museum (sadly closed to visitors at 10 PM). Overall, the combination of views from the boat, bus, and feet really helped us get a flavor of the memorable Lofoten Islands.