Day 8
After a night of “rocking and rolling” through the Barents Sea, I finally drifted off once I convinced myself the ship wasn’t actually going to sink! It’s an 8-stop day today with Mehamn at 1.20am, Kjollefjord at 3.25am and Honningsvag at 5.4am – we won’t be getting up to play in the snow here this time! We wake just before our 8:00 am docking in Havøysund to a sight we haven’t seen in a while: the sun. As we head south, we’re officially trading the Polar Nights for lengthening days. We celebrate the return of the light with cinnamon buns and tea in bed—the perfect remedy for my “battered” right side after taking a spectacular tumble in the snow at the Ice Hotel yesterday.
The colours of sunrise are just gorgeous absolutely Monet esq. Don’t think my camera can really do it justice, it’s truly breathtaking.
The Industrial Arctic: Melkøya Island
Around 10:15 AM, the landscape shifted from rugged cliffs to high-tech industry as we glided past Melkøya Island (literally “Milk Island”). It is impossible to miss the sprawling Hammerfest LNG facility. This massive complex processes natural gas from the Snøhvit field deep in the Barents Sea. It’s a stark, metallic contrast to the tiny Arctic fishing villages, marking this region as a heavy hitter in the global energy market. The facility provides critical energy to Europe and marks the region as a vital player in the global energy market. We dock at Hammerfest at 11am for 10 minutes before we move over to the other side of the bay where the ship needs to refuel. The Havila Capella, runs on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) — a much cleaner alternative to traditional marine oil—we pull into the Polarbase supply base for a refuel. It’s an impressive operation; while it has the capacity for a 12-day voyage, the ship is topped up with about 100 cubic meters of fuel to keep our emissions low as we navigate this pristine coastline. Refuelling takes about an hour and then we’re underway headed for our next stop at Oksfjord at 3.50pm.
Bubbles, Bingo, and a Big Win
After a lunch feast of creamy fish soup, Norwegian charcuterie, and prawns, we ascend to Deck 9 for a bit of a departure from the usual quiet coastal vibe: Bubbles and Bingo! This isn’t a traditional “cruise ship” activity for the Havila line, in fact it’s the first time they’ve tried it but there was a good crowd and we agreed it was a great way to spend a freezing Artic Saturday afternoon. The luck of the Irish (or the Arctic) was with me—I won an upgrade for one to the ship’s signature restaurant for hitting two lines! We’ll use in a couple of night’s time and Brownie will have to pay her share whilst I dine for free!!
Nature’s Own Light Show
Just as we’re settling back into our suite at 3:30pm after an excellent lunch and a walk around the ship, the announcement we all wait for crackles over the speakers: The Northern Lights were back. Layers and layers donned we rush up to deck 9 for another glimpse of the mesmerising green lights. They don’t disappoint and put on a fantastic show. I think I’m starting to get the hang of capturing them with my camera, it’s not perfect but hey I’m never going to get bored of trying.
A Midnight Toast in Tromsø
Following an fabulous dinner of Fallow Deer, we have a quiet evening—Brownie opts for a nap while I catch up on some TV. There’s a reason for this early bout of evening relaxation, we’re going to be docking at Tromso at 11.45pm and we have a plan for a shore activity. We dock in Tromsø just after midnight and the snow is falling. Whilst a large group of passengers head off into the cold for a midnight carol concert at the Arctic Cathedral in town, we head for a different kind of “spirit”. We disembark and make a beeline for the Misfit Tiki Bar that we’ve located via good old Google Maps. It’s close to the dock and we’re hoping for at least a couple of rounds of late-night cocktails.
When in the “Paris of the North,” do as the locals do! I set my phone on the bar with a countdown clock to ensure that we don’t miss the boat. The barman rustles us up some delicious concoctions and we take in the Hawaiian ambience in the Artic. We return to the boat in time for the 1.30am departure and stand up on deck in the snow to bid Tromso goodbye. We’ve loved it here twice!! We stumble off to bed and drift off in a haze of Tiki Bar loveliness.
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