Seagull away a while . . .

[Seagull]

Awwww thanks EVERYONE for following the trip and for ALL your comments... obviously LOTS to tell you and show you on my return, but must just add Harald Jarl and arcticGateway to the met and greeted list, and yes the weather changed on arrival at Svolvær after being bright and sunny all day...

But I can't wait to tell you all this....though maybe Ralf already heard...
you've seen the banner "Forever Young" on photos on Nordstjernen's thread...this afternoon the German group took it down and invited everyone on board to sign it!....then they are going to present it to the Hurtigruten Museum.

I was one of the first to sign it and I wrote in the middle of the letter O of
Forever!...After my signature I wrote "Seagull" and under that I added CaptainsVoyage Forum. So that is on behalf of you all dear CV family.

[HurtigruteMartin]

Re: Seagull away a while . . .

Oh....Seagull, my dear........ Your name will "FOREVER" be seen at our beloved Museum. Brilliant gesture. And WELL DONE, Seagull .

[Sterkoder]

Re: Seagull away a while . . .

Cecilia talks about heavy sea, and I just found some pictures on the NRK Nordland webpages showing us just how heavy...

http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/nordland/1.8039977

[Seagull]

Pleased to report that my complicated Nordstjernen-chasing plan is completely on schedule . I've now arrived in Trondheim.
I liked that welcome home to Norway comment that pakarang made some posts back, and of course I feel at home here...so there was really no need to specially lay on grey wet Edinburgh-style weather for me AND there is even a Scottish pub in the building where this hotel is!!!!!!

Another at sea day tomorrow....

[Seagull]

Good morning from a VERY wet Trondheim where I am temporarily aboard the northbound Polarlys, up on deck 5 and about to take photos of Nordstjernen!

[Seagull]

Now back "HOME" on Nordstjernen here in Trondheim!

I'm catching up on what's been happening...there was a big welcome in Rørvik last night.

[Seagull]

.

...here in Trondheim they are getting set up to do a canon salute...a big cake has appeared in the cafe...oh and I was interviewed for some tv/newspaper.... AND it has stopped raining!

[Sterkoder]

Re: .

AND it has stopped raining!

Oh...., then welcome to Kristiansund later. ALL the rain in the world is here, clouds are at 400 feet and visibility 5 km.

[Seagull]

LATEST NEWS from the Trondheimfjord!!!!!....Pakarang made it to the Hurtigrute quay!!!! I think he was on the way to work but not completely sure in all the excitement and shouting down to him at the side of the ship...I was on the aft deck. Although I probably would have had time to go back ashore for a few minutes, I absolutely didn't want to distract him from the all-important photo taking!

But I did see him JUMP when suddenly the cannon fired!...and then Nordsternen was moving off and there was a water cannon salute too and so many flags waving and excitement!

I took my customary photos of Munkholmen but this time seen behind the water salute!...and stayed on deck until we had passed the ferries at Flakk/Rørvik...and now I'm actually getting round to eating a piece of the celebration cake!!!!

What an absolutely amazing wonderful morning. I would not have missed this for anything !!!!!

[Ralf__]

Re: Seagull away a while . . .

Such a thrilling report and so much fun to follow it here and in the German forum. Thank you so much to let us share your experiences. And you will feel so at home aboard her, when you return on her at Svalbard, having been part of the farewell-family!

[Seagull]

SO glad you are enjoying this so much Ralf...yes the German group have just been having a talk about Hurtigruten at their table...I was sitting nearby and eating my piece of that delicious cake I mentioned earlier!!!...after taking photos for them with their cameras.
Meanwhile across on Facebook Jan-Olav says it's time to sleep for him now...

And yes I will feel special on that Svalbard trip...being here now is a bit like I feel about having been a part of Fram's maiden voyage, only in reverse so to speak at the end of Nordstjernen's career.

[Ralf__]

Re: Seagull away a while . . .

Such an afternoon, four tabs open: CV, Hurtigforum, Facebook and Marinetraffic..., be careful what you do!

[Tommi]

Re: Seagull away a while . . .

What a nice trip it seems to be, we'll keep an eye on you all.

[Seagull]

So exciting in Kristiansund! Sterkoder was positioned for his first photos and then headed for the quay. I showed him the Forever banner and then he came aboard. Although I had intended to leave him alone to take his photos, I could see that time would be so short that it was best that I stuck around, as he never before been aboard the ship. First a glance in the lounge, then a quick way to the bridge wing, and then from the boat deck to the flag deck, and back rapidly through the cafe and restaurant to our starting point, and sadly time for visitors to leave.

All the while the band was playing...and I can tell you Svein that it made a good impression of your city for the passengers.

Knowing Svein it won't be long before there are some photos in the Nordstjernen and/or Kristiansund threads!

[Seagull]

How wonderful to see Sterkoder's photos in Nordstjernen's thread!

Well while he was posting those, the ship has visited Molde where there was a band with violins and accordion and a few other instruments playing folk music. As it was starting to rain a little they came aboard and continued to play there! It has been memorable how each port has had different and distinctive greetings.

Soon it will be time for me to leave the ship in Ålesund...