We got help with the kayaks and three cold beers in our hands on our way to a sauna with a view!

RSKE2018 Y2D6: 25 July 2019: Hammerfest to Komagfjord. 50.1 km, 6.8 km/hr average speed.

We got on the water at 1010 and paddled down toward Vargsundet heading for Mette and Asle who are long time friends of Per and Stein. They live in Oslo, but spend as much time as they can up here.

We had a very enjoyable paddle for most of the day the currents were with us, the sun was not only shining but warming well. If we plan for more than half an hours break we try to take off our wet and salty paddling clothes and change to warm and dry clothes. At our first break at Komagneset, we didn’t need to bother with the last part. Better to just be warm and dry in the sun. We stopped short of taking a dip though…

The last leg to Komagfjord was more normal. The currents turned and the wind picked up. For once we had winds stronger than forecast on yr.no, but they were following winds. It had started to rain when we arrived at Asle and Mette’s place in Komagfjord at 1900 hours, two hours ahead of our estimate.

No problem. The catch of the day was ashore, we got help with the kayaks and three cold beers in our hands on our way to a sauna with a view!

Mette and Asle had agonized over our visit. What to serve? Freshly caught Halibut or equally freshly caught Kamchatka Crab? They went for a half meter high pile of crab. A fantastic dinner and followed by a much longer evening than we are used to on these trips.

Asle is a super eager fisherman and very well known in the fjords around here. We got some good and detailed advice. It turned out that the crossing from Komagfjord to Stjernfjord is called “the world ocean” by the local fishermen. That is because winds and currents come from all directions, more or less at the same time. Unruly and unpredictable.

Tomorrow’s forecast is 10 m/s when we planned to cross. We will delay departure and head for Øksfjord in the late afternoon. Wether Permitting.