How a Tiny Norwegian Island Celebrates Norway’s Biggest Day – Bolga | Ep. 95

We leave Støtt for another beautiful stretch of sailing along Norway’s Helgeland coast — but even a light-looking wind gives us an immediate lesson in not fighting the elements. Our route takes us via the anchorages at Gåsvær to Ørnes, before continuing the following day via Tukhuset Gjestehavn to the small island of Bolga. Along the way we encounter gusty winds funneling out from the Norwegian mountains, spectacular spring scenery and one of the warmest days we’ve experienced this far north. Getting away from the pontoon at Støtt doesn’t quite go according to plan. With around 10 knots of wind from behind, our intended spring manoeuvre simply pushes the floating pontoon along the wall rather than bringing Polaris’ bow out. Time for a change of plan: swap the springs, leave stern-first and let the wind help rather than fight it. After sailing via Gåsvær, we reach Ørnes for the night. Kathrin heads ashore for a hike while I take advantage of the stop to give Polaris some much-needed attention and clean the boat. The next morning brings an extraordinary change in the weather. With sunshine, blue skies and temperatures around 16–17°C, northern Norway suddenly feels almost like summer. We leave Ørnes, call at Tukhuset Gjestehavn and continue towards Bolga. Once ashore on Bolga, the adventure continues on foot. We explore the remarkable crack through the mountain, tackle ropes and scrambling along the route, enjoy spectacular views over white beaches and clear water — and even brave a very quick swim despite the sea being only around 6°C. And our timing couldn’t be better. It’s 17 May, Norway’s Constitution Day, and even on an island of only around 100 inhabitants the Norwegian flags are flying and celebrations are underway. A wonderful couple of days combining coastal sailing, practical seamanship, hiking and island life on the Helgeland coast of northern Norway. If you enjoy our sailing adventures through Norway and the high latitudes, subscribe and join us aboard Polaris for the next leg. 📘 Norwegian Cruising Guide We also co-write and publish the Norwegian Cruising Guide — a harbour and anchorage guide for sailors exploring the Norwegian coast. Find practical information about harbours, anchorages, approaches, facilities, and local cruising details for Norway: https://www.norwegiancruisingguide.com We are Kathrin & Daniel, a sailing couple living aboard Polaris Helvetica. After leaving our land-based life behind, we refitted Polaris into a liveaboard cruiser and set sail north to explore Norway, the Arctic Circle, Svalbard, and beyond. ⛵ Watch next: Norway sailing playlist: https://studio.youtube.com/video/ir-Wk_aP-kc/edit Boat tour of Polaris Helvetica: https://youtu.be/4HuXWp3PxR4?si=xRddE1KlsQxdrlAl Previous episode: https://youtu.be/ir-Wk_aP-kc 🌐 More from Sailing Polaris: Website: https://www.sailingpolaris.uk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sailingpolaris Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/18xwSXRkMy/?mibextid=wwXIfr Contact: dan@sailingpolaris.uk 📍 In this episode: 00:00 Leaving Støtt 00:31 When the harbour manoeuvre doesn’t work 01:25 Stop fighting the wind 02:03 Gusty sailing towards Ørnes 04:02 A beautiful morning in northern Norway 04:51 Setting course for Bolga 06:15 Hiking Bolga 07:27 Into the crack in the mountain 10:00 A spectacular Helgeland view 10:25 Six-degree water… swim? 11:58 Ropes, scrambling and the trail ahead 13:48 17 May — Norway’s Constitution Day 14:58 Searching for the celebrations Keywords: Arctic sailing, sailing Norway, Norwegian coast, Norway anchorages, Norwegian harbours, sailing Northern Norway, high latitude sailing, liveaboard sailing, sailing couple, fjord sailing, yacht cruising, Norway by sailboat, Arctic Circle sailing, sailboat life, remote anchorages, cruising guide Norway. #SailingNorway #Helgeland #NorwaySailing #SailingAdventure #LiveaboardSailing