The girls on a cruise to Bodø with Hurtigruten

Veronica and Barbara by MS Lofoten in Svolvær in Lofoten islands.

"Hurtigruten" is the name of a coastal voyage, which goes from Bergen in the southwest to Kirkenes in the northeast of Norway. It has been operating since 1893. At that time this was the most important communication along coastal Norway, first stretching from Trondheim to Hammerfest. It carried mail, products and people. Before this connection was set up, it could take up to 5 months for mail to go this distance in the winter time, it now took only a few days. It was considered a communication revolution in coastal Norway. Since 1914 the route has included harbors from Bergen -Kirkenes. The 'World's Most Beautiful Coastal Voyage' is still a very important way of transportation, but the ships are now cruise ships with nice restaurants, bars and comfortables cabins serving thousands of tourists from all over the world. A total of 70 ships have serviced this route, and today there are 11 ships sailing this distance.

Some ships are older and have basic services, and the newer ones include master suites as well as hot tubs. We traveled with MS Lofoten on our way to Bodø to see my sister. It is like a floating museum, built in 1964, it is the oldest in the fleet.

Here is our 'pit' for the 18 hour trip from Harstad to Bodø. We didn't rent a cabin since majority of the voyage was in the daytime. We arrived Bodø at 2am.

The girls were just loving it!

The area in the photo is called 'Risøyrenna'. Located by Risøyhamn where the Hurtigruten museum is. This is where is all started in 1893. Captain Richard With, born in Tromsø, purchased the town of Risøyhamn and was on of the founders of 'Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab'. He was the captain on the very first 'Hurtigrute' trip with 'DS Vesteraalen' from Trondheim to Hammerfest. Later he realized that the waters outside of 'his' town was too shallow for the growing size of the ships traveling along the coast. During the time in the 'Storting' (Senate) is when he succeeded in raising state money to dredge the area. 'Risøyrenna' is 4.8 km long (almost 3 miles), 100 m (330 ft) wide, 7 m (23 ft) deep. The first dredging was finished in 1922, and before this time, people could ride a horse across on low tide! Richard With was also on the board of the Norwegian-American Line in the start up phase of this company. One of the current ships is name after him, 'MS Richard With'.

Risøyhamn ahead. About 200 people live here now, and the very first Hurtigrute 'DS Vesteraalen' is dry docked here.

We are on our way in to 'Trollfjorden'. This fjord was a 'tourist magnet' before the name 'tourist' was invented! It is about 3 km long and only 70m wide on the narrowest part, widens out in the end of the fjord. The Hurtigrute ships go in to the fjord, turns around, and comes back out. Every day, two times a day, this happens on the wonderful voyage. The mountains around the fjord stretch up to 2000 m (6000 ft).

We're on our way in!

Looking back out of the fjord.

Beautiful waterfalls coming down on the sides.

Every day, twice a day, northbound and southbound ships meet with lots of honking and waving. This is 'MS Polarlys', northbound, seen from 'MS Lofoten'.