Hidra
After having visited Sweden and Denmark yesterday, this morning we awoke to the first sights of the Norwegian Fjords. The fjords, which will make up nearly two weeks of our journey here on the National Geographic Endeavour, are a spectacular mix of small fishing villages, bustling cities, and untainted natural sanctuaries.
Our morning led us into the small fishing village of Kirkenhamn. This village, which has only 600 permanent residents but grows to over 2000 in the summer months, embodies the fairytale visions of the Norwegian summer; red and white houses line the waterways, sail and fishing boats skim back and forth across the water, transporting holiday seekers and fresh fish to the village.
After a delightful morning exploring the old German battlements that crest the village and listening to the locals talk with pride about their town and heritage, it was time to board National Geographic Endeavour and head out to explore. After lunch, as the sky cleared and the wind died, we unleashed our fleet of Zodiacs and kayaks to explore the fjords from another perspective. We spent a couple of hours cruising looking at the intricacies of the granite rocks, inquisitively looking at the outside of houses, and getting a better feel for the bird and plant life that will become more and more abundant as we travel further north.
Even with today’s many activities, there was one other way to truly get the full experience of the fjords, and that was to discover what lies below the surface. Our Undersea Specialist, Dennis Cornejo, and I dove today to capture images many of the typical creatures of the fjords. Swimming through a field of sea whips and dusty kelp, we were able to capture edible crabs, sea stars, flounder, and the most abundant of all, this jellyfish. It is the summer plankton bloom here in the fjords, which creates an abundance of life for this jellyfish to feed on as it undulates through the water.
Our first day in the Norwegian fjords, and it has already made a deep impression upon many of us. Tomorrow we will discover another personality of the fjords as we move on to the big city of Bergen.
After having visited Sweden and Denmark yesterday, this morning we awoke to the first sights of the Norwegian Fjords. The fjords, which will make up nearly two weeks of our journey here on the National Geographic Endeavour, are a spectacular mix of small fishing villages, bustling cities, and untainted natural sanctuaries.
Our morning led us into the small fishing village of Kirkenhamn. This village, which has only 600 permanent residents but grows to over 2000 in the summer months, embodies the fairytale visions of the Norwegian summer; red and white houses line the waterways, sail and fishing boats skim back and forth across the water, transporting holiday seekers and fresh fish to the village.
After a delightful morning exploring the old German battlements that crest the village and listening to the locals talk with pride about their town and heritage, it was time to board National Geographic Endeavour and head out to explore. After lunch, as the sky cleared and the wind died, we unleashed our fleet of Zodiacs and kayaks to explore the fjords from another perspective. We spent a couple of hours cruising looking at the intricacies of the granite rocks, inquisitively looking at the outside of houses, and getting a better feel for the bird and plant life that will become more and more abundant as we travel further north.
Even with today’s many activities, there was one other way to truly get the full experience of the fjords, and that was to discover what lies below the surface. Our Undersea Specialist, Dennis Cornejo, and I dove today to capture images many of the typical creatures of the fjords. Swimming through a field of sea whips and dusty kelp, we were able to capture edible crabs, sea stars, flounder, and the most abundant of all, this jellyfish. It is the summer plankton bloom here in the fjords, which creates an abundance of life for this jellyfish to feed on as it undulates through the water.
Our first day in the Norwegian fjords, and it has already made a deep impression upon many of us. Tomorrow we will discover another personality of the fjords as we move on to the big city of Bergen.
