Art, lighthouses, whaling and cod liver oil island

 June 7th    Skutvik to Tranøy   

The last meeting of the day went a little over schedule so to save some time so departure was fairly late. To save some time and with open water with no interfering traffic I decided to bake pizza for dinner under way. My oven doesn't really get warm enough for pizza but it's close enough to make a tasty boat baked variant. 

While the dough was rising I had the chance to admire the unique Hamarøyskaftet (613 m) up close from the sea.

As I approached the harbour and was preparing fenders and ropes for docking I saw a dinghy floating away. So I had to try to rescue it. After a couple of attempts I managed to get a towline attached and could return to my docking. With a dinghy awkwardly attached the boat did not behave the way I'm used to. But other than needing som more maneuvering than usual docking went well. 

In Tranøy a whaling boat is lifted onto land and converted to a pub. This day a preserved whaling boat MS Nybræna was docked together with a preserved "normal" fishing boat. Nybræna became known in 1992 when activists trespassed and tried to sink the boat. It was saved and continued on whaling for many years. Today it is touring the coast selling whale meat (Minkywhale) and promoting whaling from the Norwegian whalers point of view.

 After observing the neighbors I took the bike and biked to the lighthouse after which the village is named. The lighthouse was automated in 1986 and depopulated in 1991. Since 1993 however a cafe and lodging has operated in the living quarters and boat hose of the old light house. The light house was listed in 1997. 

The lighthouse has become somewhat famous for the moody light and views of the mountains of Lofoten and Steigen. Today it was to hazy to admire the mountains but the light could be enjoyed.

In 1903 a public pilot service mainly to serve the iron ore ships going to and from Narvik was established in the area  The pilots station was moved to Tranøy in 1907 and was operational there until the late 1950ies. The publicly employed and midle income pilots and boatswains built villas in the village in styles not usual in northern Norway.

Around 2000 the inhabitants of Tranøy raised funds to buy and keep Harald Bodøgaards sculpture "Stjerner som fisker i himmelen" (roughly stars that fish in the sky (or heaven)). This lead to the establishment of a sculpture park owned and financed by the villagers and supporters. Today there are sculptures spread around and just outside the village. 

Like this "Kystkvinner" (Women of the coast) by Ingun Dahlin.