Tricky crosswind landing - of the nautical kind.

'Nord Norge', one of the Hurtigruten ships that provide a daily service up and down the coast of Norway makes a skilful arrival into  Bodø:

So I'm sitting here with my freckle tightened up waiting for an almighty boom....

Probably just a normal weather day in Bodø, and a normal arrival. They're putting some faith in that anchor chain. After seeing numerous snapped anchor chains, you'd want to ensure that chain was well-maintained.

I wouldn't call it a normal arrival, Onetrack! ;-) At least, I've never experienced such a fun landing aboard a Hurtigruten vessel; pivoting off the anchor chain, one wing low, for a soft touchdown, alongside. Even the pros are calling it 'wild':

https://gcaptain.com/watch-wild-docking-in-norway/

Mind you, those captains get plenty of practice, visiting 33 ports in each 7-day northbound coastal run, before turning around and coming back again. Each of those ports gets one northbound and one southbound service every day.

But more relevant here is what else they have in Bodø: the Norwegian Aviation Museum.

https://www.norwegianaviationmuseum.com/civil

For me, the highlight (totally trumping the Lockheed U2) is the Piper Colt, dangling in pride of place ... up there, under a low ceiling.

(Plus the Hurricane, outside, on a stick.)

Yoo have good taste in Aircraft Captain

From the angle of the anchor chain, there must be good holding ground. It was at about 45 degrees, but the load would have been lessening as the ship came from crosswind to being nearly into wind. I wonder if it had bow or stern thrusters.

Yes, it does. I think most of the fleet has them.

"MS Nordnorge was designed for service cruising Norway's narrow fjords and sometimes icy polar waters.

Its shallow draft, powerful bow and stern thrusters make it extremely well suited for navigating Antarctic water."

source: https://www.travelbyrich.com/ships/view/Nordnorge/1/323

A great journey especially in winter. Amazing place.

I remember traveling up that arctic coastline to Northcapp when I was a young bloke. Id forgotten all about it until I saw your map! Hadn't thought about it in years. Incredible place.

It was midwinter, bitterly cold but the Northern Lights were on spectacular show. I recall the women of the far north also left a strong impression on me -as did the price of alcohol.

Alan

Yeah yeah NT, ...... but tell us more about ”the women of the far north“ ..... Bob ?

Yeah yeah NT, ...... but tell us more about ”the women of the far north“ ..... Bob ?

What happens in Honningsvag, stays in Honningsvag.

I backpacked through there up the Norwegian coast to Honningsvag and Nordkapp on the far side of the island in the summer of 1990 to experience the Midnight Sun. These days you just drive across to Honningsvag via an underground tunnel. I was deck cargo on the vehicle ferry trying to avoid the loadmaster charging me for the ride. The train finished at Bodo. It was then the Postbus via Narvik, Tromso and Alta for the rest of the way over continual fiord crossings.

I recall the women of the far north also left a strong impression on me -as did the price of alcohol

My memory of the women of the far north were the Lapland ladies and their shopping bags making to snuggle up to me on the bus(for warmth?) when there were plenty of empty seats and the bus was half empty! I could not begin to afford even the weakest of beer or even much of the food. I lived on tuna and salad rolls, and the almost inedible brod and a strange orange cheese.

Otherwise, the bus just snaked its way northwards lurching from side to side in the muddy slush of the gravel-covered tundra to put letters in one post box then another. More than once the driver had the bus almost jackknifed in a slide towards yet another group of reindeer that had wandered onto the road.

Hey Garfly, no pictures of ladies?

What happens in Honningsvag, stays in Honningsvag.

Oh, alright, then ...