Day 221. Bergen to Tyssoy in Sund

Posted by: James on August 9, 2009

Distance 21km | Time 3.5hrs | Ascent 0m | Descent 0m

Day 221.1 Setting off from the hidden jetty near the express boat terminal and te Admiral hotelI did not manage all the writing and office work the previous evening so after breakfast at the hostel I carried on writing. By 1200 everything was up to date and all the emails done. I was clean shaved and had washed all my clothes. The only thing I still needed to do was shop and that could wait. I gave Tone a ring to see if she was around but she was on babysitting duty still until late in the evening. There was little point hanging around as the weather was good and the tide was about to ebb.

By the time I finished chatting with the friendly Swedish family in the hostel and packed everything it was 1330. I then carried everything to the hidden jetty by the Admiral Hotel where I left it. I left at 1430 but had to return to change paddles. My expensive Epic paddles needed glued. I had never been that impressed with the quality of them since I started using them a few months ago. Chinese rubbish masquerading as German quality.

Day 221.2 An offshore supply boat and a cruise ship were just a small selection of the ships around the busy Bergen harbourAs I left Bergen there was a mass of activity in the harbour. Many ships and boats were docking or setting off. Cruise ships were mooring on the outer wall and the Hurtigruten was returning after its 11 day round tour to Kirkenes. There were local sightseeing boats setting off and returning and cabins cruisers weaving through all this. I kept to the side to Nordnes point and then headed down the south side of Byfjord to the large bridge over the fjord to Askoy island.

The current was very much on my side and even with a slight head wind I was doing 7 km per hour. I was only when I got to the second large bridge at Knarrvika after nearly 2 hours paddling did I lose the current as the tide started to slow and then turn. By then I was in the wider Kobbaleia sound. I kept to the east side and paddled past suburbs which seemed to be getting more and more exclusive and leafy.

Day 221.3 Paddling down Kabbaleia I past old buildings and new villasI decided to go the west side of the two islands of Bjoroyna and Tyssoy as the ships and express boats seemed to be going the other way. This seemed to be the best choice and it was quiet down this side. Here were many older hamlets with traditional wharfs and boat houses interspersed with newer villas. Mostly this side of the island had a rural feel to it. By the time I got to the south end of Tyssoy it was 1800. There was a slight wind against me and the current was also against me. I thought I would camp in a bay I identified on the map.

Day 221.4 One of the traditional hamlets with old boat sheds on Bjoroyna islandThe bay was great. It had a small beach and some grass around this. It was owned by the council and run as a recreation area. It was largely deserted except for a couple of families who were swimming. I measured the water temperature. It was 19.9 degrees.

I put the tent up beside the only table so I could write and sorted myself out. By then everybody else had left except for a woman and a friend’s boy she was taking on an outdoor treat, and they were staying here for a few days in a large Lavu tent. I chatted with them for a good hour. I then thought I had to write. Just then the skies got a bit darker, and then wind stopped and out of the damp grass came millions of midges. This compared to some of the worst Scottish scenarios. Writing was out of the question. The woman, Ann Grete, leant me some repellant which made little difference.

The only solution was to go into the tent or make a fire. Ann Grete had already collected some green pine and there was a bit of damp drift wood in the seaweed. After persevering for a good half hour I eventually got a fire going. It kept the midges at bay.

We sat around the fire until 2300 when the boy and Ann Grete went to bed. I did not even consider writing and would postpone it until tomorrow. I crashed out well before midnight and slept well.

It had been an OK day. The morning was squandered by office work and then the afternoon was a good paddle with a great campspot. I had cut my stay in Bergen to a minimum as my friend was otherwise busy and I did not feel like wandering around Bergen as a tourist for a day. I was not ready to even have a taste of city yet and wanted to return to the skerries.

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