Norwegian Mountains, Sogn og Fjordane
Kvamsøy (Balestrand), Jan 12 2013
Kvamsøy
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Islands attract me. Especially the ones that are not easily accessible. I just have to get there! One way or another.
Storeøyna in Barsnesfjorden was conquered through my inflatable rubber boat, and this was boat was also included in my master plan when I sat my eyes on Kvamsøy in Sognefjorden. But Anne said that we could borrow a canoe from her friends Vibeke and Leif in Sogndal. A canoe was probably a better ride for restless puppies and I agreed on the transportation plan...
We picked up the canoe early Saturday morning. Just getting the heavy canoe from the boat house in Sogndalsfjøra and onto the roof of Anne's car was a project in itself.
Eventually, we arrived at Fjørene and observed that the sea was a bit more rugged than we had hoped for (and far more rugged than the pictures indicate). We might have discussed the use of dry suites, but that was no longer up for discussion. The answer was an overwhelming yes. One minute in this cold water would be too long. The big question was how to make the dogs sit still in the canoe.
Preparing for take-off
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The dogs never sat still in the canoe, but Anne managed to hold them together. Who knows what they were thinking? They seemed to want to jump overboard. True, they are French water dogs, but we had not gunned down any ducks so jumping overboard would have been completely outside their job description!
I was in serious need for Anne's rudder services, but because of the dogs she had none to offer. Getting across the sound in these waters while being positioned in the very front of the canoe was cumbersome! But we managed...
On Kvamsøy
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After exploring the island and bagging the high point (approx. 20 meters above sea level), Anne put up a fire to teach the younglings a thing or two about the outdoors life. And the dogs seemed to enjoy every second of the stay on the island!
Where is my sandwhich?
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After giving the dogs a useful lesson about surviving in the wild, it was time to return to the mainland. The fjord and the dogs had calmed down by now, and Anne was able to offer rudder services. And as an extra bonus, we were able to teach the dogs about high tide and low tide...
What the... ?
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The trip was not quite over yet; the canoe had to be mounted on the car and returned to its owners in Sogndal. It was actually a full day(light) project, and I enjoyed it from the beginning to end, knowing how odd it sounds/looks ;)
Returning to Sogndal
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