Progressing ever southwards, our exploration of the coast and fjords of Norway continued this morning with a visit to the charming island of Vega. Its population of just over 1220 people live mostly from farming, and in 2004 the Vega archipelago was granted World Heritage status, because of the importance of its cultural heritage and landscape, and in particular, its traditions of eider down production. We were taken around by local guides who delighted and inspired us with their knowledge of their environment and their deep connection with their distinctive inheritance. On walks around the island we learned how the islands had emerged from the sea 10,000 years ago at the end of the last Ice Age, forming the most developed ‘strand flat’ in the world, which is still rising at a rate of about five centimetres a year. We also learned how the acidic granites and the alkali sedimentary deposits had formed ideal conditions for wild flowers. We discovered four different kinds of orchids, in addition to a profusion of other flowering plants in all their diversity, while herons and the occasional eagle flew overhead.
In the main settlement of Nes, a museum and visitor centre provided us with wonderful insights into traditional and modern life in this community and, no less wonderful, provided us with another opportunity to enjoy waffles with all the trimmings in a lovely Norwegian setting. The process of encouraging the eider ducks to nest on the farms, and the means of collecting and cleaning the precious down after the ducklings have hatched was explained and demonstrated, and some of us left clutching down-filled items from the museum shop, treasured souvenirs of a remarkable place.
During lunch we sailed inland into another fjord, at the recommendation of our Norwegian pilots. This was a new discovery for the National Geographic Orion, and it involved a spectacular cruise through the Visten fjord, and some careful manoeuvring by the bridge team through a shallow and narrow gap into the Innervisten. There we explored the inner fjord by Zodiac in idyllic, peaceful conditions, and many of us hiked into the Lomsdal-Visten National Park. This trail started near a few secluded family homes, surely built here for the enjoyment of nature, then passed into woodlands where we joyfully forded mountains streams and sustained ourselves on berries and magnificent views over the water below and the snow-capped peaks beyond.
In the evening were many stories and impressions to recall, finished off with an entertaining crew show and a magnificent sunset.
