Day 26 - Boat trip to Trollfjord

Unfortunately, I have to pause hiking again. My right knee is acting up. Luckily, there are plenty of alternatives on the Lofoten Islands to make up for this handicap. We are near Svolvær, the largest city in the Lofoten Islands and an important fishing port, but also increasingly becoming a starting point for tourist activities. Yesterday, we booked a boat trip to the Trollfjord with a local provider. This is a small, narrow side arm of the Raftsund and was the scene of the "Battle of Trollfjord" in 1880.

At that time, the fjord was frozen, so representatives of the North Sea fishermen asked the steamship owners to break the ice and gain access to the large cod shoals that had "lost their way" there. However, they did so with their own interests in mind and blocked the entrance to the fjord with nets to demand "admission" from the fishermen or to fish themselves. The fishermen could not accept this, as it was about their livelihood and the fjord as a common good, and they broke the blockade by boarding the steamships and engaging in wild fights with the crews. Fortunately, the fishermen from Nordland emerged victorious from this conflict. As a result of the political aftermath of this incident, a year later the Norwegian Parliament issued a ban on sink nets.

After checking in at the tour operator's office at the harbor, we board a motorboat for about 20 people. With its bow flap, it looks like a military landing craft. But before we start, we have to put on thick overalls, which are supposed to protect us from wetness and cold. A life jacket is also mandatory. Then we're off. Despite its rather inelegant appearance, the small boat reaches quite a decent speed. When we cross the fairway of a larger vessel at the harbor exit, it gets a bit bumpy and I have to protect my camera from splash water. We are sitting right in front of the bow flap. Then we head into the Raftsund. Mighty, fog-covered peaks tower to our left, and smaller islands can be seen to the right. It's an extremely entertaining journey of just over an hour, and I can't stop looking around. The mountain landscape to our left is constantly changing and seems to be getting wilder and bolder. Finally, we have reached the narrow entrance of the Trollfjord and steer inside. High rock walls on the left and right, a picturesque waterfall on the right. In front of us at the end of the fjord is a fairy-tale-like panorama of peaks. Janina spots a puffin, but it disappears in a crevice in the rock before I can get a glimpse of it. At the end of the fjord, the boat makes a short round, much too short for my taste, and we're already on our way back. However, my disappointment at the short stay is soon forgotten. The boat stops again next to one of the islands, and there they are! Three sea eagles majestically circle above us. What an impressive wingspan these birds have! We witness the eagles plunging into the water to grab their prey and engaging in aerial battles with other birds.
Now enriched with another unforgettable experience, we are finally on our way back at full speed. The sea has become stronger by now, with ups and downs. Sometimes it feels like the bow is plunging into the sea at the end of each wave trough. Several waves hitting the boat like punches. But our stomachs stay intact and we safely return to the harbor of Svolvær.

The day is still relatively young, so we pay a visit to the small war museum, which is located on the way from the pier to the marketplace. It is operated by a private individual who has collected an incredible number of artifacts from World War II. The five not very large rooms on the ground floor are so packed with items and accompanying information sheets that you don't know where to start. You learn a lot about the occupation of Norway by the Germans and about the Norwegian resistance. The stories of individual people, both resistance fighters who carried out spectacular acts of sabotage and their opponents on the German side and the collaborators, are particularly highlighted. The smallest room, dimly lit and featuring a replica of a Gestapo interrogation room with original "props," leaves a disturbing feeling.

After visiting the museum, it's time to move on. The stomach is growling and we need to find a campsite. We will spend the night not far from Trollfjord, just on the other side of the mountains.