One of the key things that everyone seems to do from Svolvær (judging from the number of high-powered RIBs heading out of the harbour) is to go to Trollfjorden and so that was our plan. However, this meant that the four boats would then be splitting up, so we decided to anchor for our last night together in an inlet on the northeast side of the island of Stormolla called Ulvågfjorden. We reckoned there would be space for four boats there. Three of the boats were coming from Kabelvåg and we were heading across there from Svolvær. It was just a few hours and we only managed to sail for an hour or so as the wind slowly died, but we arrived first in the anchorage and so headed as far in as we could – not least to find a shallow enough area to anchor in.
With the anchor apparently holding we settled in for the evening and a couple of hours later watched a synchronised anchoring display from the other three boats as they came in one after the other.
It was a beautiful spot and so the next morning we arranged (by pottering around in the dinghy – no mobile signal for the first time!) to meet up on the beach for a team photo – our last day together. It then became something of a ‘fox, chicken and sack of corn’ problem, trying to work out who to take when and on which dinghy. So, first I dropped Anne and Hugh – Anne to identify plants and Hugh to photograph them and then motored gently around giving various people a lift to the shore. Eventually everyone got there.
After nattering on shore for a while we all pottered back in reverse to Ruby Tuesday for a coffee to say our goodbyes. One by one the synchronised anchoring turned into synchronised de-anchoring as we all left. We were the first to leave with the others waving, singing and blasting foghorns – a lovely way to leave.
From there we headed north (motoring) to the Trollfjord. This was what everyone wanted to see and it is apparently a highlight of any Hurtigruten trip as the ship creeps down the fjord and then does a three point turn at the end to get back out again. Now for us, it wasn’t tight, but for a rather larger Hurtigruten – well …. No doubt a fun challenge for the captains.
As a place of natural splendour the Trollfjord is obviously a stand-out location, but it is apparently a place which holds a special symbolism for Norwegians. This is because of the Battle of the Trollfjord. Now as soon as you read that you will be thinking about mighty trolls trading blows and scarring the mountains, perhaps even digging out the Trollfjord with their axes or stone clubs. Unfortunately the Battle of Trollfjord doesn’t involve trolls. It was though a real David and Goliath moment in Norwegian history.
It took place in March 1890 at the peak of the early season Lofoten fishery. The battle started when the relatively new steamship fishing boat owners tried to wrest control of the fishery in the Trollfjord by physically blocking access to the fjord to all the fishermen in their traditional rowing boats. They strung chains and ropes across the fjord, but this simply sparked anger amongst the rest of the fishing community. Instead of competing as they usually would, they came together in their hundreds to fight this injustice, swinging axes to try and cut the chains and ropes and standing together in solidarity. The steamship owners lost and the battle has come to represent the inequity represented by the capital-rich being able to exploit the workers. The media clearly sided with the fishermen and it did result in a debate about rights, the distribution of resources and the need for regulation. However, it would be easy to argue that the capital-rich lost the battle, but won the war …..
From Trollfjord, we headed back south again and back into Svolvær – our cruise-in-company finally over …..
