Kayaking in Norway - Lofoten
The Lofoten Islands lie in Northern Norway above the Arctic Circle. There are 6 main islands which make up the
archipelago and it is now possible to drive from the Norwegian mainland to the tip of Lofoten using a series of stunning bridges and deep road tunnels. Off the end of the final Island of Moskenesøya lies Vaerøya and the archipelago of Røstlandet, both of which can be reached by car ferry or plane. The ferries (photo right) originate in Bodø on the Norwegian Mainland and complete a nautical triangle by also sailing to the main Lofoten archipelago village of Moskenes, which lies near the tip of the chain. This enables the visitor to sail to the tip of Lofoten, thus avoiding the long drive across all six islands. Flights also originate in Bodø, which is thus the gateway to all the Lofoten Islands. Bodø can be reached by connecting flights from Oslo.
Lofoten is renowned for it's stunning natural beauty and quaint historic fishing villages. Inter-island passages and numerous fjords provides stunning kayaking opportunities. Lofoten is a magical place taking on the appearance of a fantasy landscape, as if created for a Disney animated fairy tale classic, rather than a natural phenomenon. Stunning wildlife including sea eagles, puffins, cormorants, otters and even Moose on the larger islands adds to the experience. At times the seas literally boil with fish.
The climate in Lofoten is extremely variable. It is the most Northerly place on earth with an average temperature above freezing. This is because the
islands are bathed by the warm Gulf Stream. However, Winters can be wild with storm force winds, sleet, snow and vicious rainstorms. Like the rest of Northern Norway, Lofoten enjoys Summer midnight suns and Winter northern lights.
Accommodation is plentiful in Lofoten. However it is renowned for it's fishing cabins or "Rorbuer". These are wooden cabins, many built on stilts over the sea due to lack of space (photo left). During the winter months millions of cod are caught and then dried on overhead racks in the dry cold winter air. Thousands of fishermen from around the World would congregate in Lofoten for the catch. These stockfish are salted and preserved ready for local consumption and worldwide export. Many end up as Bacalao, which consists of the dried, salted cod, potatoes, tomatoes and what ever else comes to hand. The fish heads (photo above) however are different. They are exported to Nigeria where they are mixed with spices to create a delicious meal! Fishing is now much less labour intensive, and the Rorbuer have been converted for tourist use.
There are numerous paddles to describe in and around Lofoten. During my brief stay in Lofoten I paddled out of the tiny historic fishing village of Å, heading east to Moskenes on one occasion and west down to the infamous Maelstrom on another. During Autumn 2009 a comprehensive paddling guide about Lofoten is due to be published. Once available I will update this page with details of how to obtain a copy.
Numerous bridges and tunnels link the main islands in the Lofoten archipelago.
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