Day 48 – at Alta marina

I met a guy, a local, walking his dog late last evening and got chatting. Though I steer away from politics usually, we got onto the price of power to homes, and would you believe, ‘levelling-up’ and it’s relevance here in Norway. I did hear piece on the radio a few days ago about those who reside in the far north of Scotland being far more affected by prices for heating and lighting in the winter. That difficulty is far more exaggerated here. From 26th November until 16th January there are no sunrises or sunsets here in Alta. On 17th January the sun rises at 11.06 am and sets at 12.08 pm, and is celebrated more than Christmas or New Year. For 5 months of winter the average temperature is below zero. Coastal Norway, like Alta, is markedly warmer than inland, the fjords rarely freeze, due to the warming effect of the Gulf Stream. Bills for electric and gas are going to be significantly higher in Troms and Finnmark county than in the cities of the south. It no wonder those struggling to meet the costs are moving south. The houses being built are aimed at the top half of the market. The population increase is due to those able to work online from home, and retirement. There is a student population of 2,500 also.

It is however, quite spectacularly situated amongst the fjords. This morning I walked up the hill just a couple of kilometres out of town to take in some of the views. Though only at 213 metres asl, Komsa does the job of providing those views, and itself is striking in its appearance, being mostly bare rock, slippery in wet conditions, but this morning in fine condition.

Below is the top of Komsa, with its visitors’ book box. There’s more people who have signed it here than in the others I have come across on the north coast.

Having only taken outdoor showers from the van for the last three weeks, a sauna was welcome, though not as traditional or hot as the Finnish variety. In fact a Finnish guy disturbed my dozing by ranting on about it and pouring bottle after bottle of water onto the stove.