Safe Return Doubtful

I am sitting out some wintery weather at a marina just off the E6; rain showers, a northerly wind, and even fresh snow on the surrounding peaks. Yesterday’s temperature hovered around 6C, which with the wind felt a lot cooler. I took the chance to do some washing and paid for a pitch at the marina via their app. The rate of around £25 included use of the washing machine and dryer, which at campsites can be £15 in itself. The weather isn’t very predictable at the moment. Today was forecast to be only slightly warmer, but the wind has dropped, the sky has cleared and we are at the dizzying heights of 13C, very pleasant compared to the unseasonable dip of the last two days. 

My last post was from the island of Arnoya. Before taking the ferry back to the mainland that day, I hiked the trail below the spectacular backdrop of the island’s mountains. Though it was wet, it was great. There are a lot of reindeer on this island, they seem to be everywhere one turns, and are inquisitive, indeed Rua seems to have got used to them. In his short life, he is a half a year old tomorrow, they are the animal he has seen the most of. 

From the ferry, on a rainy and cool morning, I headed to a beach I thought would be quiet and provide a good stopover, 16 kilometres from the E6. It wasn’t so quiet though, near to a busy road, for this part of the world at least, and clearly well frequented; that it had a toilet meant it was an attraction for those many campervans whose owners do not choose to use their own. However, the beach was good, about three kilometres of it were walkable, though easier when the tide was low. 

With a couple of van issues, it crossed my mind to head directly to the town of Alta, where there are places I could get what I need, rather than waiting until I pass through anyway in a couple of weeks. The MaxxFan has been an issue again, the same as I encountered last October. It was guaranteed, and the company initially replaced it, but sent a replacement part which was repaired supposedly, then the original fan was refitted a few weeks later. The company have been very difficult to deal with, and blame it on a voltage surge from the van rather than their equipment. I have a spare motherboard, which Jack (from GV Conversions, who built my van originally) gave me, so I’m after someone, hopefully in Alta who can fit it, and maybe that works.. 

I decided on the latter, and the issues are not urgent. I’ve stayed an extra day at the marina at Oksfjordhamn, and am doing a few bits of cleaning. It’s surprisingly easy to lose things around the van also, things that I have just stored in concealed nooks, and have forgotten which item is in which nook; the spare motherboard for example, and Roja’s old wire brush for Rua now he is losing some fur – the first I managed to locate, the second, not as yet. 

Needless to say, any observation of the partial eclipse was negligible. I had the Hundred cricket on TV, so saw it there, and also got to hear a wonderful bit of commentary. While commentating on the game, with the eclipse imminent, one of the team said something about the next eclipse being 2050. Stuart Broad misheard this, and announce that the eclipse had been put back to 20:50, or ten to nine. One shouldn’t laugh at other people’s misfortunes, but I did find this very funny, that an eclipse might be delayed, due to bad traffic outside the stadium perhaps..

As a bonus, the weather is fine today, so this morning we explored the local area on foot. Initially we headed up to a floodlit cross country ski route in the forest, but met a guy collecting early blueberries who said there will still mosquitoes around, and they had been bothering him. I was surprised, as I hadn’t noticed any, but took his advice and did a short loop before taking another route on a fisherman’s path along the river. 

In about a week until I will be at Alta. I’m planning to head out to Jøkelfjord for the weekend, then to Loppa on Langfjord, reachable on a fairly long ferry trip, a place I was at two years ago.