06 August 2008

Diving in Norway

Hello Guys.
I've just got back from Norway, diving the WWII wrecks in Narvik harbour and if you are looking for future trips I'd certainly recommend it.
The wrecks were sunk in the two battles of Narvik.
Wikipedia article.
All the wrecks are in less than 30m and remarkably intact, so much so that at times I felt that I was on a film set.
Viz was around 20m and the water temperature ranged from 7-14C. Dives times were usually an hour. Two dives a day. Four merchants, three German destroyers. (we did some twice)
We stayed on the ex Swedish minesweeper M/S Galten which was rugged but a perfect dive platform.
Divenarvik
Travel times from the pier to the wreck sites were about ten minutes across the mirror calm harbour. Currents were minimal if not non existent and restricted to the surface.
Air temperatures were shorts and t-shirts most of the time despite being 200 miles inside the Arctic circle.
Meals were cooked on board by the Swedish chef Patrick and they were outstanding. Reindeer stew, Salmon steaks.........
Sunset was err...never.
Kit was collected and shipped across in advance.
Flights were from London Heathrow to Oslo then on to Evenes with a spectacular
mini bus drive around the fjords to Narvik.
Cost was high (ish) but all in, which suited me perfectly. All I had to do was turn up at the airport with some clothes and everything else just happened and what happened was stunning. I'd go again at the drop of a hat.
Some photographs.
If you want more GLOC took some stunners, they are posted on YD, search for Narvik
Hope you have a great trip to Lundy.
Jim

14 comments:

Simon-T said...

Hi Jim, nice report and photos. I'm very envious, never been to Norway and certainly will now. I read Gloc's reports yesterday, fantastic stuff. Make's Lundy look tame, but it'll suit me fine at the moment, weather willing!

Jimbob said...

Thanks Simon. Well worth a visit. I'm still jealous of your Lundy trip. You'll have seals!!

Simon-T said...

Is "seals" infectious? It sounds like a title of one of those, The Far Side, cartoons! ;o)

Jimbob said...

It can be. I think its vector is superb photographs of underwater mammals, which infect anyone who sees them with a burning desire to go to Lundy and take more photos of underwater mammals which then infect....It's a serious condition. That Pascoe chap should have been properly quarantined.

Tad said...

Very Envious Jim
Having Lived in Sweden and popped over to Norway I wish I had dived but you have definately whetted my appetite for it

Jimbob said...

The boat is Swedish with a Swedish crew which we found odd until we realised we were only 20K from the Swedish border. The blending PC in the kit room was loaded with MP3s and in Scandanavian style they were heavy. Kitting up to AC/DC and Rammstein was quite cool.

matt said...

i read Garf`s reports yesterday a to be honest i think i would rather go to Norway than "gasp" scapa flow it looks amazing and the pics are stunning! what sort of price are you looking at all in?is it cheaper to go to scapa or norway

matt said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tad said...

Rock music and Diving an excellent combination Jim as an old headbanger in years gone by right up my street tak se mike {not sure if thats spelt right but swedish for thanks very much

sheilab said...

O.K. Jim you have now wetted everyones appetite. Next meeting details and prices please (with slide show)for consideration for next year.

Jimbob said...

Well I'll give it a go Sheila but I just paid my money and turned up. I got a last minute space after someone dropped out. Will do some digging before the next meeting.
Jim

Jimbob said...

The trip was organised by Rich Walker of Wreck and Cave. He was out there the previous week with his BSAC club and then he had to put up with us for a week. More (sketchy) details here:
http://www.wreckandcave.co.uk/expeditions/upcoming-narvik-2008/

Jimbob said...

That link is too long
http://www.wreckandcave.co.uk
/expeditions/upcoming-narvik-2008/

Chris-P said...

Thanks for the post Jimbob! Not sure you had permission to post though :-) !!! Great to see something DIFFERENT , a varied diet is very healthy. Simon , so now you're goingto Sweden eh? No surprise there then! You have confessed to being a passport stamp hunter and now it's public! Probably best to call Lundy tame after you have dived it :-) but I know there are no passport stamps for Lundy. Jimbob is right ... but I'm just out of quarantine - so time for another dose! Now, Tad, that's not what I've heard , I heard you managed some diving of some sort whilst in your Nordic phase. I am only making an extensive comment to test my new ISP which is now all of 20 mins old. Here goes I'm pressing 'publish' (I'll probably be damned!)