Day 9: From where it all began

It’s the day before our last full day – and things were a little different today.

First, we got pawned off to two lovely ladies, June and Amanda, on the boat who volunteered to take us for a walk during of the stops – Sortland. Mummy was watching us from Deck 5.   She observed how George would keep running and running and June had to keep up with him, while I was constantly on the look out for her.Such different behaviour patterns.

At the next stop in Stockmarknes, we all went out together.  The other passengers went off to the Hurtigruten Museum close by –And attached to the building is the original ship – the Finnmarken.
Naturally we were not allowed inside – instead we walked around the ship.And here we could see the old and the new.All was fine until late afternoon. Mummy fed us supper and she then “jumped ship” at Svolvær and we had to sail all the way to Stamsund to pick her up!

May’s comment: Captain Richard With, from Stockmarknes, in 1893, brought service along the coast of Norway, and a regular sea link was established using his steamer DS Vesteraalen. The service offered weekly departures – first from Trondheim to Hammerfest and later from Bergen to Kirkenes, in only seven days. He named this important connection “hurtig ruten” – the fast route.  Till today, Hurtigruten still carries freight and passengers form port to port. This is not a cruise line – I was told – it is a working passenger ferry that carries cargo as well.

At Stockmarkens,
there’s a private museum – Hurtigrutens House right by the port.

And tonight – hopefully with clear skies, I am going horseback riding on the Lofoten Islands. Maybe one last chance to see another Northern Light.