The Baltic and Norwegian Fjords - June to July 2015: Monday July 20, 2015

Tim got up early and went for his last intravenous treatment. He’s starting to get better at last but still coughing a lot. We docked in Honningsvaag, Norway. We are going to try to get to the North Cape to see it, but I have to be back by 12:25 for my Crab Safari and Ice Bar adventure. Tim cancelled going on the Crab Safari as he doesn’t want to be on the water while he is recovering from chest congestion. That was a good choice.

The weather is overcast but Honningsvaag is a cute town.

Docked in Honningsvaag - from our aft balcony

Pretty harbor

The quaint town of Honningsvaag

Animal pelts for sale

Tribute to the strong fishing industry

The Honningsvaag waterfront

Tim returned from his treatment and went to get on the bus to the North Cape – the northernmost point on the continent of Europe. Instead of going on the bus, he took a private taxi with driver and made a day of it. I walked around the town and got an ornament for the travel tree. I had some soup and then met my Crab Safari group on the pier at 12:25. We “suited up” in warm full length jackets/pants and headed to the rib boats. I had ridden in the front before so I took a seat further back to let others enjoy the ride and to block the wind off of me!

We rode about 15 minutes and stopped at a buoy. The guys pulled and pulled and finally a cage full of king crab emerged from the cold waters. They were huge.

All ready to go on another rib boat adventure on the fjord. Nanette from NC in front

And off we go speeding across the fjord

It was cold but FUN!

The boys started pulling on the lines to pull up the crab traps

The pulled and pulled - it is very, very deep here

And up the king crab pot came full of king crab

The were huge

We passed them around the rib boat

Huge king crab - they are predators here so there is no limit on how many one can catch

Holding one of the crabs that is about to be eaten!

They took a couple of them out and we passed them around. We kept a couple and then they lowered the crab trap back into the sea. We headed for the docks. Once there the guides explained about the king crab and then they killed them as we watched – they die quickly. They cut them up and put the edible parts into a huge black pot.

First she explained the anatomy of the king crab . . .

then she showed us how to kill it quickly . . .

with a huge tank waiting for their ultimate destiny . . .

and finally they cut them up and put the pieces in a large black pot.

The teepee with skins lining the benches all around - nice and toasty inside

Huge wood fire going and the black pot was put on to boil in sea water

Once it had boiled and cooled for about 20 minutes, they took the pot back to the sea to rinse the crab

We walked to a tent teepee and they put the crab into sea water over a huge wood fire. It boiled and they took it off after 5 minutes. It cooled for 15 minutes and then we walked back to the sea where they rinsed the king crab with cold sea water. They then took scissors and cut the shells on all – that was amazing to watch. We ended up with a HUGE platter of king crab. We’ll never eat all of this!! Then we walked back to the teepee and ate. It was so easy to eat given how they had cut the shells.

They rinsed the cooked crab with cold sea water . . .

and we had a huge pot of cooked king crab but they weren't quite ready to eat.

They used the sharpest scissors to cut the shells up both sides of the legs . . .

and 2 of them made quick work of cutting up all of the huge pot of king crab.

And the platter got larger and larger and larger - yum!

They served us the king crab with bread and dips.

We all got our fill and then suited up again to return to the rib boats for the ride back to the pier. The ride back was more thrilling as he did “whirlies” and “twirls” in the water. We did a drive by with our ship.

And we departed the "crab shack" in our rib boats!

Speeding across the fjord - not as bumpy as the ride in Trondheim

Approaching Honningsvaag and the Voyager

We did "whirlies" around the Voyager out in the fjord - it was great fun!

Back on shore, we went back to their shop and took off the outer warm gear and then walked to the Ice Bar. We watched a short movie about them making the ice bar and then put a warm cape over our clothes and went inside. It was neat – an igloo, several bars, tables and benches, and large decorative walls all made of ice blocks. We drank juice from a glass made of ice. We enjoyed our juice, took pictures and then headed back to the ship as we sail in about 30 minutes.

The Ice Bar - everything is made of ice inside - and it's COLD!

Various ice tables and all ice walls with LED lights

A serving table made of ice

The benches were covered with animal skins and were very warm

A sled that is normally pulled by huskies

Even an igloo with animal skins inside

Enjoying my juice inside the Ice Bar

They gave us the insulated wraps - not as cool as the fur coats and hats I had in Auckland

Tim had done something similar but not on the water. The North Cape was foggy but he saw reindeer and had king crab in a restaurant. He and I both bought similar tree ornaments with the northern lights on them for the travel tree!

Tim had to go to medical for his last nebulizer treatment. We enjoyed the view as we sailed out of Honningsvaag. We showered and dressed for dinner. We went to the theatre and enjoyed the James Bond show – lots of fun and the martinis were good. I had a drink in Observation. Tim isn’t drinking much due to the medication.