Vaerøya & Trollfjord
The island of Vaerøya—what a wonderful place to spend a relaxed Sunday morning. The sun is shining, the seas calm—conditions that do not always exist in the Lofoten Islands—which gave us a array of activities to decide up on this morning. Hmmmm—what to do? Should we Zodiac cruise along the granite cliff shores, watching kittiwakes, puffins, razorbills, and oystercatchers flit about in the tideline and glide across the water? Shall we kayak in the bay, passing the traditional yellow and red summer homes of Norway, white sandy beaches, and towering cliffs? OR shall we explore ashore, walking the old wagon trail admiring the summer flowers and breathtaking scenery? So many choices with so much reward.
Departing Vaerøya we sail north to the island of Reina. A sharp Matterhorn like projection sits prominently just inside the bay, where brightly coloured fishing and whaling boats lie still in the off-season. There is a faint scent of fish in the air, as the Lofoten Islands are still the center of the Norweigian cod, or Stockfish, fisheries.
Stockfish is Norway's longest sustained export commodity, and the socioeconomically most profitable export over the centuries. Stockfish is first mentioned as a commodity in the Icelandic saga "Egilssaga," when the Chief Torolv Kveldulvssøn in year 875 AD, shipped stockfish from Helgeland in mid Norway to Britain. This product represented most of Norway’s national income from Viking age throughout medieval age.
Upon capture the cod is prepared immediately: it is gutted and then either dried whole, or split along the spine leaving the tail connected. The fish is hung on the "hjell (drying racks)" from February to May, during which time the stable cool weather protects the fish from insects and prevents an uncontrolled bacterial growth. A temperature just above zero degrees Celsius, with little rain, is ideal, as too much frost will spoil the fish, as ice invades the meat fibers. The stockfish produced in the Lofoten are the best due to the stable conditions found there.
After its three months hanging on the hjell, the fish is then matured for another two to three months indoors in a dry and airy environment, like the warehouse pictured. During the drying, about 80% of the water in the fish disappears. The stockfish retains all the nutrients from the fresh fish, only concentrated: it is therefore rich in proteins, vitamins, iron, and calcium.
After sorting by quality, most of the stockfish is exported to Italy, Croatia, and Nigeria. In Norway and Iceland, the stockfish is mostly used as a snack and for lutefisk production. In Italy, the fish (called stoccafisso) is viewed as a delicacy and is soaked and enjoyed in various courses of the meal. But no matter what the quality of the fish, it is used, the lower grade meat used as supplemental food for pets, primarily as dog food or dog treats.
This evening we have one last treat before going to bed—a visit to Trollfjord. It is here where the whimsical stories of the Trolls of Norway come alive, as we see their faces carved in the granite cliffs, small trees growing on their noses, and one can swear they hear the Troll’s laughter on the wind.
