32) Museum Bodø

A lightly drizzly rainy day was suitable for tourism. Norsk Luftfarts Museum, (Norwegian Aeronautical Museum), is in a magnificent building close to the north end of Bodø Airport’s runway, absolutely stacked with exhibits and information, both about what has happened in the air since about 1910, but also associated ground activities, specially during WW2.

Early aviation, here in Norway same as everywhere else, was coloured by inexperience, unreliability, accidents and far too many fatalities. Brave people, and extraordinary achievements nonetheless.

There, hanging from the ceiling, were three aircraft to which I can relate: 1. The SG 38 trainer, which Slingsby copied, gave it a body, and called it the Cadet, and in (on?) which we Cottons started our careers. I flew an SG 38, rather draughty, but educational.

2) Then there was the North American Harvard, in which I spent many happy hours flying with the Cambridge University Air Squadron. Remember it a bit of a beast on the ground, but wonderful once in the air.

3) The inevitable Tiger Moth. How many were built? Thousands probably. And how many pilots trained on them? Also thousands certainly. I flew one, the aerotow plane at The London Gliding Club at Dunstable. Ah! Those were the days!

Came out after, for the information-overfilled brain, a resusticating and sustaining cup of coffee and a piece of apple tart, into the rain, and the bike ride back to the boat. Wet. Rest of the day drying out and also laundry.

Next day, more tourism, this time to the newly-opened Jektefarts Museum. A jekt was a boat built for goods transport, the one in the museum, “Anna Karolina”, built in 1876, and used for transport of dried fish from Lofoten to Bergen, and other goods on the return journey. One of the very few still in existence of the very many used for the coastal trade for over four hundred years. They were the life-blood arteries of trade, there being no roads to speak of in those days. It was impossible to take a pic of Anna Karolina because one couldn’t back off far enough to take in her enormous size. 60 feet long, 21 feet wide, The mainsail measured 14,5 meters wide and 10,5 meters high., The mast was originally 27 meters tall. Those interested further can google “jektefart.no”.

Then back to my, by comparison, miniscule boat, Josin, and a by-motor journey in the evening to Bliksvær, (67 16.6 / 14 00.5), several boats arriving at the same time and almost slow-motion musical chairs to get tied up. Josin safely the jam in a bigger-boat sandwich. Forecast was for a sudden half-gale in the early hours, so ropes were carefully arranged in all directions. I don’t think it blew, it didn’t wake me up anyway.

Goal for the day, in an unfortunately contrary wind, so it will be mostly motor, is Støtt, a well-sheltered harbour where there is a very good restaurant.

Alls well.