Coastal Helgeland Adventure

Day 1: We meet at Træna, and the adventure begins

At 16.00 we have check-in onboard! We start with getting to know each other and the boat, go through safety routines and stove provisions. After dinner we cast off for the first little stretch from Husøy (where the boats lie during the festival) and sail to Sanna, where we will lay for the night.

Day 2: To the mountains at Sanna, and sail to Hestmannen

We wake up the first morning on our adventure to the great view of the mountains at Sanna. Who will take the first morning swim? We start with sailing and mountainsports already on this first day! Today you get the opportunity to climb Trænstaven (a proper rock climb with ropes) with a guide from the mainland (for those that have booked this in advance). The rest of us hike up to the more accessible peak “Gumpen”, where we will get just as good a view over the Helgeland coast! After the hikes and lunch we prepare for the first proper sail of the trip. Our course is set for Hestmannen, where we later have a cozy dinner on board and spend the night.

Day 3: Hestmannen, or Hestmona. And sail to the glacier!

Hestmannen, “The Knight”, is an island and mountain, but also the main character of a fairytale about the coastal Helgeland mountains. Maybe your skipper will tell the whole story at the peak as we enjoy the view over the island kingdom! Hestmannen is pretty much in the middle of Helgeland, so from here we can see all the way south to Vega, and north to Kunna and Støtt, if the weather is good. Down at the boat again we have lunch, or second lunch, before we set sail on today’s leg, heading north and east. We are going to sail quite far inland, to one of our favorite places on this coast; Holandsfjorden and Engavågen. We will have dinner underway or at the dock in Holand.

Day 4: Hike to Helgelandsbukken/Tåkeheimen, or glacier walk on Svartisen

Holandsfjorden is a wonderful place, and this is where the Engabreen glacier – one of the arms of the Svartisen glacier – reaches almost all the way down to the fjord. Unfortunately the glacier has retreated quite a bit in the past decades, and we will have to hike a bit to reach the glacier tongue. For those who wish, there will be the option to go on a glacier hike with Meløy Adventure: a great experience. The rest of us can hike up to the peak of Helgelandsbukken. Once we are back on board we sail out towards the coast again and to Rødøy, where we hope the bar at Klokkergården is still open when we arrive!

Day 5: Morning hike to Rødøyløva and sail to the Whisky-island of Myken

Rødøy means “red island”, and løva means lion, and the peak that bears this name is a 350 meter high overhanging cliff that overlooks the harbor and the village. After breakfast we climb up the backside of this peak, and enjoy the view from the top. Later we set sail even further out to sea, northwest, to one of the outermost islands in Helgeland: Myken. Out here in this remote archipelago, some adventurous people fell in love with the place and started a whiskey distillery! Now they even have their own whiskey cathedral. Hopefully this evening we will get a tour of the distillery and we can have dinner at the fantastic restaurant they have here. And last but not least, get a taste of the golden drops they have proudly produced out here in the harsh nature!

Day 6: Full sailing day to Støtt and Sørfugløy

A morning in Myken usually means a short visit to the knitting-café at the local shop for a waffle and a chat. By now we have spent nearly a week onboard, and we are starting to get a hang of the sailing. We sail from Myken towards Støtt, and hope for good winds. If we have time we stop for a break and lunch at Støtt – the top of Helgeland. From Støtt to Sørfugløy we will have a «fellesstart» for the whole fleet for a real regatta. Which skipper has been teaching his crew best? We dock on Sørfugløy, a bird reserve island and climbing destination, where we also find some beautiful beaches. We spend the 24-hour bright night at the beach for a party with bonfire, dinner, games, beach-cleaning and fun!

Day 7: Hike at Sandhornøy, and last sail leg to Bodø

The most eager of us start the day with a morning swim at the beaches here at Sørfugløy. We are sailing a little short leg at breakfast today, across to Sandhornøy. Here we find peaks reaching up to above 1000 meters tall, some of the highest peaks we will see on this trip. Those of us who still have the energy can hike one of the peaks while the rest of us chill in the boat or go for a walk on the beach. This afternoon we have our last sailing leg into Bodø. We arrive there in time to have the chance to celebrate the week with dinner and a beer on land!

Day 8: Thank you for the trip

Breakfast and final cleaning of the boat in Bodø. We end the trip latest at 10.00 this morning. An adventure is over for this time. Thank you for this summer’s Sea & Mountainsports week.

The program

The program should be seen as a rough itinerary that we can adapt to the weather and conditions. We also reserve the right to change and improve our itineraries. We will have a dinghy for beach trips and small expeditions, fishing gear for cod, and gear to hike or make bonfires on the beach on all our trips – we are ready for adventure! Are you?

Trip experience with a sailboat – experienced and locally familiar skipper on board
Our Comfort Package consists of accommodation onboard in a shared double cabin (bunk or double bed) with a ready-made bed (warm and nice duvets and pillows!)
All the food we eat on board during the trip
An environmentally friendly, local, sustainable, unique, exotic, and exclusive Norwegian adventure holiday
A shared experience and friendship with like-minded adventurers from around the world
A lot of time outdoors – raw and honest nature experiences
Use of our shared trip equipment: dinghy, kayaks, fishing equipment, etc.
All boat-related expenses such as diesel, gas, harbour fees, etc.
Personal safety equipment, Helly Hansen inflatable life vest
Advice, guidance, and practical training on sailing and boating

Travel to and from the start/end location
Træna Festival Pass – for those who want to attend the Træna Festival in advance of the trip. Recommended! Træna Festival Passes can be purchased through SeilNorge, and we have reserved festival passes for all participants
Optional meals at cafés/restaurants
Entrance to galleries, museums, and similar, or other activities that you/we may come up with along the way
Optional activities where we hire external guides and equipment, such as kayaking, glacier hikes, or surfing
Drinks like wine, beer, or high-exclusive apple juice and other luxury drinks (yes, we drink beer and wine on board, bring your own)
Travel/cancellation insurance – optional, but recommended

Travel – in general

Sometimes we have to fly, but not always. If you have the luxury of time, we always encourage you to travel as environmentally friendly as possible. Traveling slowly also allows you to start your holiday in a special way. Cycling, taking the train, or driving a car together can be good options! Feel free to add some extra time before and after your trip, since up north the weather can be unpredictable and might affect your plans!

Travel – Træna

The north-Norwegian train line stops at Mosjøen, and from Mosjøen you can take a bus to Sandnessjøen or Stokkvågen, from where you can get to Træna. For the bus timetables check route planner at Nordland Fylkeskommune. How do I get all the way to Træna? You can take an express boat to Træna from both Bodø and Sandnessjøen. There is also a ferry from Stokkvågen. If you are not attending the Træna festival and plan to arrive in Træna on Sunday, the same day as the trip starts, we will set up a RIB with departure from Sandnessjøen at 11.00. For alternative ways on how to get to Træna, the Træna festival will provide information on how to get to the islands through other tour operators, and here you can also pre-book seats, see: www.trena.net. Route planner in Nordland has the following link: www.177nordland.no . You can also call traffic information on phone 177 if you are in doubt.

Travel – Bodø

The Nordlandsbanen train line goes all the way to Bodø, and can be taken overnight from Trondheim or Oslo. This is a great way to travel and a beautiful journey from southern Norway. For timetables and prices see www.vy.no. If you live along the coast, the speed ferries or Hurtigruta are possible options either northbound or southbound. Another option is a flight to Bodø, and there are some reasonable tickets.

Safety and risk – in general

We take safety seriously and on our trips we train on handling different situations that can occur at sea. On board a boat and on trips, everyone must know what to do in potentially dangerous situations. For us it is important that you as a guest and participant are trained quickly enough to be a participant – not a passenger. It contributes to learning, a sense of achievement, and increased safety for all. It’s also why our trips are considered to be sailing courses: you are trained to be one of the crewmembers on board. Feel free to contact us to discuss risk.

Level of this trip

Sailing wise, our trips are not very difficult, and you are always welcome to join us! Our trips attract both people who have never sailed before, as well as experienced sailors. If you are a beginner, we will turn you into a seaman/woman as soon as possible. If you are experienced, you will be given more responsibility and greater challenges so that you can learn new things along the way. We usually sail along the coast in protected waters, and we often have the opportunity to choose either more or less exposed routes, depending on the weather. The weather Gods decide, so you must be prepared for both windless conditions and sailing in harsher weather!

The Træna Festival (voluntarily, before the trip)

“Paradise isn’t always in the tropics,” the local “Trænværingene”’ say. This is “one of the best festivals in Europe ”, according to the British The Guardian. The Træna Festival is an exclusive music and cultural festival – far out at sea. It may not be as important to book the biggest stars, but the nature, the people, and the atmosphere make it a truly magical experience you should not miss! Read more here https://trena.net

Equipment/packing

As with all activities, there is plenty of specialized equipment and clothing for sailing. We do not expect you to buy lots of new equipment to join any of our trips, so, use what you have, borrow what you need from a friend, try to purchase used equipment, and if you have to invest in new equipment – buy quality items that will last. What you need is something waterproof and windproof on the outside, and layered clothing underneath. Some jackets may not be waterproof enough, or might not perform well in saltwater, so you might want to consider purchasing or renting a set of “oilskins” from us to use on the wettest days. Even in summer it can be cold at sea, so bring both swimwear and warm clothing. We will send you a detailed recommended packing list in good time before departure.

Food and cooking

On our trips you will be part of the crew onboard and get the chance to participate in all aspects of the running of the sailboat. This includes the cooking, where everyone is taking turns in the galley! Skippers and guides assist as much as they can along the way. Before the trip we set up a menu and purchase what is needed. We offer good menus with healthy “boat friendly” food. If you have allergies or preferences, let us know in the registration form and we will take that into account. During the trip, we often sail by a good restaurant or two where we stop and eat.

What we expect from you

We want you to take part in the routines onboard the sailboat, whether it is sailing, docking, navigating, looking for whales and icebergs, washing up, cooking, cleaning the boat, or contributing in other ways when required. Our trips require a little work from the participants – and you must be open to contribute and open up a bit socially. We have many different people with us on our trips, and most people get along very well. Our experience is that doing things with others out in nature, and not least doing things with new people with different personalities than one might be used to, is what creates the best, most interesting and memorable stories :)

Life on board and accommodation

Life on board a sailboat is social and pleasant, but for some it can be perceived as quite intimate and crowded, which one should be prepared for. On our trips everyone participates in the operation of the sailboat and everyone is considered crew. We would like to get to know you well and hope that you will get to know everyone else on the boat as soon as possible. It requires some patience, generosity, and an open mind to thrive, but the new acquaintances and completely raw nature experiences will take your focus as soon as you become comfortable with life at sea. Accommodation on the boat is part of the fun. The accommodation is generally in shared cabins, some of which have a double bed and some of which have bunk beds. Figuring out who sleeps where can be a bit of a puzzle, but we do believe we’ve gotten quite good at it. Let us know if you have any special needs or reservations. You must arrange any accommodation before and after the trip on your own. If you have any doubts about where to stay, we’re happy to give you some recommendations. We have plenty of heating and good food on the boat, but not always abundance of fresh water. This means it will not be possible to shower every day, but more or less every other day we are either in a harbor with fresh water or we sail through a place where we can borrow showers or enjoy a sauna. A morning swim in the sea is also available all year round!

What kind of people join this trip – and how many will we be on board?

Many come alone, some travel as couples, and others travel as a group of friends. The common denominator for everyone is that these are fun and interesting people you will become friends with almost no matter what. Sharing grand experiences creates strong ties! Many people wonder about the age composition of our trips, but this isn’t so important to us. It doesn’t matter if you are young or old as long as you want to go on a trip and intend to do your part in making this a great trip for everyone. The number of participants varies from trip to trip. If we have many participants, we will expand with more boats and skippers. On most trips we sail multiple boats in a fleet, with 7-9 people onboard each boat.

Environment and sustainability

In general sailing is an environmentally friendly activity,, and we sail as much as we can and use the engine as little as possible. We encourage crew and participants to travel as environmentally-friendly as possible, and we use local ingredients and resources as much as we can. We also run trips where we collect litter and clean ocean trash from beaches. Philosophically, we often say that sailing is an exercise in sustainability: we move with the wind and we have limitations on things like water, diesel, electricity and food. In order to run sustainably, knowledge, patience, flexibility, and hard work are required. The same can be said about many other things that one tries to do in a sustainable way.

Please refer to “Other Practical Information” for details.