Harstad

When I last wrote, the narrative was all about Narvik in August but the actual time was this morning. Could this really be time travel? Just asking cause I sure don’t know. But anyway it’s now 1800 my time and with any luck this work of fiction/non fiction will bring us all up to date. I’m writing this now because I’ve/we’ve just had twenty days of rain and some big winds so have been held hostage by mom nature. Knew I should have better Oh well!

So on with the play.

We left Narvik at 0530 yup 0530 good thing it never got dark or I would have had to say 0dark thirty. On Mon Aug 18 in the year of our lord 2014 or just plain old 2014. And it was dark and stormy! That’s a drink by the way made with Ginger beer and Dark rum. Hmm might have to make one. The weather was actually pretty nice with a bright sunny blue sky and we were running with the tide Not that that helped us as the normal current (the movement of the sea not the berries) was South and of course we were going which way? Then we got to Romsund! Oh my! The tide was against us!! 4 knots and let me tell you top speed in frontwards on the engine is about 6 knots so take away 4 knots which means your actually our because your not here speed was 2 knots over the ground It made for a verrrrrrrry long 10 miles. Then when we cleared the sound we got some wind and if you have been paying attention you know what direction it came from. We eventually arrived at and secured to a pontoon in Harstad at 1600. Wandered around the marina and got our bearings asked about winter storage in and out of the water got scary prices think they might have been go away pricing.

Tues. morning we were up bright and early not so early as yesterday but still early and it wasn’t bright kind of gloomy with RAIN and wind! So we caught the local city bus and rushed into town. Not much happening in town on a Tuesday morning but it sure beat the stuffing out of a dull dreary wet windy day on the boat so we made the best of it and went and had a kaffe Americano and a sticky bun checked our emails and downloaded a bunch of geo caches and had a Grand old time wandering around back alley’s burned out buildings churches town squares ferry docks and waterfront dives looking for the elusive Norwegian geo cache These people are devious!! We managed find a couple in spite of them! Did a bit of shopping (food as the fridge is still not working but that’s another story ) returned to the boat on the bus(too far to walk) had a nice dinner of? Anyway Sally cooked it and it was good.

Then we all went off to town to the cave!

 No it wasn't a night club or a place for bats or vampires to hang about. But an underground swimming pool water slide current pool hot tub sauna steam room kind of place. We tried them all I really enjoyed the water slide and the Steam room not so much the pool and hot tub as too many people and exercise. When I came out of the Hot tub which was really a cool tub as the hot wasn't on. All my stuff was gone! Not so bad as my stuff consisted of flip flops and a towel but they were mine! I was depressed!!! So I went and got changed anyway and met everyone else in the cafe. Civilized this country is a cafe next to the pool with drinks and snacks and a window so you can look in at the swimmers. Eventually  the rest of the crew showed up and so did my  towel and shoes they thought I had forgotten them. Yea right! They were just having a joke at my expense! So we headed back to the good ship Kalinka1 had a night kap  and flopped into the V berth (the bed in the pointy end of the boat and flop really doesn't describe it as you have to use a step to get up and kind of crawl/slide/curl and wiggle(not the fun kind of wiggle) into and then you have to turn around! Eventually you get under the blankets and your partner, significant other and best friend up to this point has to repeat the maneuvers  just  described without getting unmentionable body parts  in your face.  All this is accomplished with words of endearment, Be careful, I am, get your out of my face I’m trying, try harder, I am, no your not yes I am NO YOUR NOT! YES I AM  and eventually we’re both tucked in. Well sort of, Then there is the polite discussion about foot room (v berth = no foot room at the pointy end for you who have not experienced one) Once that’s settled usually in Sally’s

favour (I’m not that dumb) then there is the discussion about sharing the blankets(we use real blankets and sheets and comforters) I usually loose this one to but I have to keep trying. I’m too tired to read but Sally wants to so I finally pull my little corner of the blanky over my head and go to sleep..