Norway 2002

Well, to go to Norway had been a long held ambition of mine, dating from my pre-diving days.  Specifically I wanted to get inside the Arctic Circle, so when the chance came up to dive the area around Narvik and the Lofoten Islands I jumped at it.

The trip was advertised on the UKRS newsgroup and the NDG mailing list by Cliff Coggin who was having trouble filling the boat and that's how I got to hear of it.

The trip was based on board the Jane R, a British boat skippered and owned by Gordon Wadsworth.  Gordon has been running trips in southern Norway for years, and has recently extended his range as far north as Narvik.  By chance I was already scheduled to go on a trip to Coll and Tiree with the Jane R, so I had had a chance to see Gordon in action in April, before this trip in September.

The Jane R is an unglamorous but sturdy wooden ex-trawler, which Gordon has converted to serve as a dive platform.  She has 4 twin cabins and two four berth, most of which have sinks.  Being licensed for 12, this does mean that the likelihood of having to share with strangers is minimised. There are two sea toilets, a shower and a bath!.  The cabins are basic, and the bunks all single.  Pillows are supplied but you need to take your own sleeping bag.

This time around Rob and I were in a four berth cabin, which gave us a little space, the twin cabins are a bit cramped it has to be said.

Getting to Narvik is a real pain.  After many phone calls and a lot of chasing I managed to get a flight plan sorted which didn't cost an arm and a leg, but it did involve three planes and an hour long bus journey.

We flew from Gatwick to Bergen, overnight stay in Bergen and then flights from Bergen to Oslo and Oslo to Evenes / Narvik airport followed by an hour on the flightbus to Narvik.  The flight cost £363 ish and was booked via Braathens.

We arrived in Narvik to a force 7ish wind, light rain, and cold!. Our first night on the boat was pretty uncomfortable, as "harbour" is something of a misnomer for the piers at Narvik. After a night of rock 'n' roll, none of us really expected to dive on Sunday.  We were pleasantly surprised.  One of the advantages of this area is that, like the Sound of Mull, there is always somewhere to run to. 

The Dives

Day 1 - Cool, overcast and some rain

Dornier Air Craft - Rombakken Fjord - Dive 1

This wreck lies in 12-20M on a sandy bottom.  Not much by way of fish life but the biggest mussels I have ever seen.  Temperature was from 11-13 degres dependent on depth.  Lots to see, but it can be done in about 15 minutes.  Some small jellyfis and 2 bit lions manes.

Max depth 25.3M Run time 45mins

Dornier Air Craft - Rombakken Fjord - Dive 2

Well it should have been the Dornier, but we missed it this time.  The water was crystal clear and light, and we had a swim around the general area, poking at more of the huge mussels.

Max depth 35.3M Run time 40mins

Neuelfels - Narvick Harbour - Dive 3

This Ore carrier lies in 15-25M opposite Narvik Harbour. Viz was about 7-10M.  There are lots of places to swim through and loads of machinery on the deck.  The wreck stands upright on her rudder, although lots of damage is visible.  Massive amounts of urchin shells.

Max depth 24.4M Run time 63mins

Day 2 - Overcast with strong winds and surface waves

Neuelfels - Narvick Harbour - Dive 4

Weather meants we could not get out of the harbour, so we went back to further explore this wreck,  This time we dropped on alongside the engine room, and as usual, Rob disappeared into the depths, while I waited on a companionway for him to re-emerge. We then headed off towards the bow where we found lots of bits of china.

Max depth 25.6M Run time 68mins

Strossa - Narvick Harbour - Dive 5

Another wreck conveniently just outside Narvick Harbour. Had a bit of a struggle to get down the shot line, especially as I had my camera in tow.  The wreck is covered in kelp.  You can swim into many of the cabins, which of course we did, although my small torch packed up, so it was a bit eerie with only ambient light.  Back outside the wreck we had a good swim around.  I have a small slit in the side of one of my fins from a previous encounter with some sharp metal, and I managed to hook this nicely around some fishing line.  Being essentially lazy, and having a buddy there for the purpose, I waited for Rob to untangle me, then we dropped over thie side and went for a swim around.  Saw a flattie or two, probably big enough for dinner, butwe were feeling charitable!.  Loads of lions manes around.  These things seem to be a feature of the area at this time of year.

Max depth 28.6M Run time 50mins

Day 3 - Overcast with less strong winds and surface waves

Neuelfels - Narvick Harbour - Dive 6

Back again to the ore carrier

Max depth 26.5M Run time 49mins

Wooden Wreck - Dive 7

I can't actually remember this dive,  My notes say there were two wreck with a line between.  Some rooms to swim through, a  wooden mast and a shoe.  lots of evidence of wood boring molluscs.

Max depth 24.4M Run time 59mins

Herman Kunne - Herangsfjord - Dive 7

Went in as a three for this one with Brendan and Rob.  Bren ahd some mask problems , so I stayed with him and sent Rob off to explore.  At the bottom of the shot was a COMPLETE porthole....I knew I wasn't in UK waters!  The wreck lies on its left side, and idiot grils that I am I dropped off the hull side in error initially.  Back up and over and we were on the superstructure.  saw a large machine gun, winches and a mast.  The superstructure is eminently accessible, but as I was with Bren, discretion was the better part of valour.

It was dark on the wreck, but the water was pretty clear.

Max depth 35M Run time 28mins

Day 4 - Overcast with less strong winds and surface waves

Anton Smidt  & Willhelm Heidkampf - Dive 8

Now at last we were getting what we had come for.  There are three destroyers side by side. For the first dive we dropped down and across the gap to the second destroyer.   The bow of this ship is so fine that it will fit between thumb and first finger.  Found an army boot, just lying around, and lots of other clothing.

Anton Smidt  & Willhelm Heidkampf - Dive 9

More of the same

Anton Smidt  & Willhelm Heidkampf - Dive 10

This was a solo dive with camera. A good mooch around both destroyers.

Day 5 - Overcast with less strong winds and surface waves

Barge - Dive 11

At first view, a pretty unremarkable barge in about 18M.  No engine or cabins and full of various bits of scrap metal.  After a quick scoot around the barge itself we decided to head off and have a look around the boulder field.  I was busy following some flatties when I sensed that Rob was no longer behind me.  I turned around and went back to see what he had found.  Rob was looking in a cavity under a couple of triangular steel plates.  We could see a big pale blue face with very human looking teeth.  Then two eyes came into view.  The skin was very seal like, and neither of us had the faintest idea what we were looking at.  

Back on the boat we explained what we had seen and someone told us it was a wolf fish.  Mark was gutted, as his big desire on this trip was to see one and he had missed it.  The wreck was in17-18 metres and neither of us had been in that long, so I suggested a bounce back to show him.  I was pretty confident I could find the fish again. We jumped back in and swam straight to the triangular plates and the fish was still there, but it had turned around and was facing out of the back of the plates this time.  When we got back to the boat Mark's face was a picture.  He was grinning so wide I thought the top half of his head might fall off!.

Dronnen Maud - Dive 12

This was a wartime hospital ship.  It lies in 41M.  At the bottom of the shot line we found some strange bell shaped containers about hand sized, all full of silt.  We set off along the sea bed to the stern, where the prop wasn't!  Then back up to the deck and in and out of the companionways.  The mast on this ship is still standing and there is a guideline from this to the superstructure.. We also found some winches.  It is possible to go inside this wreck but as I had the camera I decided not to.   Vis was about 10M.

Dronnen Maud - Dive 13

Back on this wreck and Rob's perennial hunt for the engine room. He went in ia the boiler room, I as usual hung around outside.  I went of for a little swim to avoid dying of boredom.  There are wooden benches all around the bow area.  Found the funnel, which somehow we had not noticed on the first dive!!.There are trucks and clothing also on this wreck.  Vis was again Crystal.

Day 6 - Overcast with less strong winds and surface waves

Elsa Shutz - Dive 14

This german merchant cargo ship is a lovely wreck, listing about 30 degrees in 5-35M of water.  There is lots of accomodation to swim around, and the holds are full of coal.  Parts of this wreck are covered in plumose anenomes, in ornage white and green.  There is a wheel at the stern also covered in anenomes.  Viz was 8-10M with loads of ambient light and crytal water.  There are red and blue tiles midships.

Elsa Shutz - Dive 15

A second dive, this time in jellyfish city!  Planty of big tusk and a juvenile as well.  I watched the juvenile laying in wait for minnows, and actually watched him catch one.  One of the larger tusk was not at all afraid of me and in fact was rather aggresive, turning and going head to head with me..

Little Island - Dive 16 Dusk Dive

Gordon was not too keen on a third dive this day, but we managed to persude him to drop us in near a little island outside Harstadt harbour.  We'd hoped to find a reef or boulder field to explore, but the sea bed was mostly sand and kelp.  There was lots of a pink coral, and plenty of human debris, like bottles, pans and plastic cutlery.  Viz was a good 10M.  Again we were dodging Lions mane all the way on the ascent.

Day 7 - Overcast with less strong winds and surface waves

Wooden Fishing Vessel - Dive 17

very poor viz by the standards we had come to expect, maybe 2M.  This wreck lies on a bed of silt, which quickly got stirred up, however I did have my camera and I did manage to get a picture or two of a wolf fish at last.

Summary

Would I go again?  Definitely.  But I would prefer to do a two week trip on a faster boat with a bit more luxury. 

We spent a lot of time steaming between sites, and although this meant we did get to dive some of the better wrecks, it also limited us to 3 dives a day.  We were unlucky with the weather, which did limit the possibilities somewhat, especially as, with a crew of only two, she is unable to take advantage of evenings and nights to move between sites.

The Jane R is a bit cramped for space to relax indoors if the weather is poor, and with the lousy 20kg baggage allowance on the flights, I could have done without having to schlepp a pony and a sleeping bag out with me.

Links

http://www.lofoten-info.no/journey.htm

http://www.immersed.com/Articles/narvik__norway.htm

http://www.divescotland.uk.com/boat.htm