Tuesday 17 July 2012

Northern Lights.

For anyone joining this post hoping to read that I saw the Northern Lights, they are going to be disappointed. Sorry, but I was so absolutely exhausted after my weekend and lunch yesterday that I went to sleep at 10.30pm and awoke at 7.30am and anything which happened in between I am afraid I missed completely. It was a clear night, so they might well have been visible in the early hours of the morning when there is the best chance of seeing them, although nobody has mentioned them today.

As I look out of the window it is pouring with rain, so no chance tonight I would say.

I have never seen them and often look at the Norwegian Coastal Voyage in the winter months and think that it would be rather nice to go at that time of the year when there would be a very good chance of seeing them. But I have done the voyage at midsummer and even then you need warm clothes once you get above the Arctic Circle, so I can only imagine what the temperature is in Winter.

The voyage stays on what they choose to call the 'Inside Passage', going up and down Fiords to little places at the far end and then hugging the coast for the rest of the time. Almost at the top and quite near to the North Cape is a tiny harbour called Batsfjord. When I read that in Winter the waves reaching the harbour can be forty feet high and that the harbour wall has been completely washed away three times, then I don't think a winter journey is for me. Crossing over to the Lofoten Islands in a rough sea resulted in a lengthy period of intense seasickness for me in midsummer, so Northern Lights or not - I'll stay at home.

12 comments:

Gerry Snape said...

Oh I got excited then!...well many years ago I saw the lights up on the north coast by Portrush. Not as dramatic as I'm told it can be but wonderful nevertheless.

Eryl said...

A winter trip to somewhere even colder than here doesn't sound like my kind of fun either.

MorningAJ said...

I saw them a few years ago when I visited the Ice Hotel (the first week in January. It was cold.) They are amazing. And worth the cold.

Heather said...

A cruise holiday doesn't appeal to me but it would be a lovely way to see the fjords. However, icy temperatures and huge waves don't appeal either so like you, I'll stay at home. It's good that you slept so well after your busy weekend but sad that you didn't see the Northern Lights. The chances are they didn't turn up anyway.

John Going Gently said...

I got all excited too!!! then realised before I read it that it is still light out!

Dartford Warbler said...

Sorry you missed the Lights but I`m sure a good sleep was more important after your busy weekend.

I would love to see them but not on a winter cruise across the North Sea!

Cloudia said...

no, one hopes you & I have sailed our roughest winter seas!


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Reader Wil said...

Hi Pat! Is the Norwegian Coastal Voyage the same as the Hurtigruten? I should like to do that!

ArcticFox said...

it's long been a "bucket list" item of mine to see the northern lights...... I once went to Amsterdam on the promise that you could see them there but all I saw was stars and the underside of a great many tables!

Dave King said...

Shame you didn't see the Northern Lights. I would love to see them. We have had one Norwegian Cruise - though not with the hope of seeing them, and as expected, they didn't show.

Rachel Phillips said...

We had a good Northern Lights show in Norfolk at the weekend. However,like you I slept through it and had to enjoy it via the pictures in the local newspaper!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks for visiting. Yes Reader Wil - it is the Hurtigruten and it was the most wonderful holiday - we went for midsummer's day when it never got dark.