Day 058: Oslo, Norway
Position: N 59º 52′ 20″ E 010º 43′ 06″
Weather: 22ºC wind north 8kts, waves 1m
Last Port: Copenhagen, Denmark
Next Port: Torshavn, Faroe Islands
Status: In Port
From the Navigator
This morning at 0515 we will make our final approach to Olsofjorden and shortly after we will embark our local pilot at approximately 0530. Once the pilot is on board we will commence our 54 mile transit up the fjord towards Oslo. We will make our final approaches to the berth at approximately 0900 and anticipate being all fast alongside by 1000. Once everyone is back on board, we will let go our mooring lines, thrust off the berth, move astern and thrust the bow round to the port. We will then retrace our tracks out of the fjord. We anticipate being clear of the fjord just after 2200 and once clear we will disembark our pilot and set southwesterly course paralleling the coast of southern Norway for the remainder of the night.
Sailing into the port of Oslo reminded us of sailing around Penobscot Bay in Maine, with the smooth grey rocks coming down to the shore and the not-quite-ocean smell of coastal kelp, mixed with pine forest growing on the rolling post-glacial hills and islands of all sizes. We overheard another passenger say “this place looks just like a typical Norwegian village”. It would be hard for the village to look any different, probably.
The Akershus Castle, modeled by Disney for their Norway area at EPCOT.
This small island at the north end of Oslofjord seems to be an exclusive community. Almost every house was painted either red or yellow, except two jokers who decided to point their cottages blue.
An excavated Viking ship. The hull has been measured to produce accurate scale models. The models have then been evaluated in a modern tow tank using modern methods to determine stability and seakeeping qualities. Verdict: the Vikings knew what they were doing.
A piece of tapestry from a Viking burial ship found in a traditional burial mound. Many of the fabrics uncovered from the mound are thought to have originated in Turkey and Greece.
The FRAM, exploration and research ship made famous by expeditions to both polar regions.
A diorama showing polar researchers at work.
Ed with one of his childhood heroes, Roald Amundsen. Ed even got to touch the handle to Amundsen’s stateroom on board the FRAM. How many nights did Amundsen himself do the same thing before retiring weary after a long day of research and discovery?
Eddie Icecream, at it again after a long day of sightseeing and discovery.
