Our crew will welcome you aboard at the port of Bergen. Boarding begins at 7:00 p.m. During the dinner that follows in the cozy salon, you’ll quickly find your way around the Eye of the Wind, feel at home right from the start, and soon get to know your fellow passengers.
Our sailing area: The archipelagos and fjords along Norway’s south-west coast
Setting off from Bergen, we explore the rugged coastal region of Western Norway: the landscape, criss-crossed by bays and inlets, offers holiday and sailing experiences in the heart of an unspoilt region. The majestic fjords and the vast archipelago, which lies off the coast like a giant, naturally formed breakwater, appear both awe-inspiring and secluded. A unique sailing area that unfolds like a fascinating labyrinth of water, rocks and forests. Aboard the Eye of the Wind, we set out to explore this deep, soothing blue, this surprisingly gentle, unique world of thousands of islands, steep mountain slopes and narrow shores.
Provided the wind and weather conditions are favourable, it is possible to start by exploring the waters north of Bergen and even venture as far as the Sognefjord, the longest and deepest fjord in Europe.
Whilst just a moment ago we were cruising through the archipelago in the open sea, just a few nautical miles further on we suddenly come across an almost alpine landscape. We are surrounded by granite formations carved by glaciers; the scenery is more reminiscent of a tranquil mountain lake than the ocean. The fact that a landscape can change so dramatically over just a few miles is a particularly rare spectacle, and not just for geologists. The weather, too, often changes several times a day. ‘It’s more like April here than anywhere else,’ say the inhabitants of Fjordaland.
A selection of possible stopovers offering the chance to go ashore:
- Kvalvåg on the island of Stolmen: A picture-perfect bay – a miniature fjord, so to speak – surrounded by woodland and rocky cliffs. In the past, the timber and lobster trades flourished in this area.
- Rosendal: This small harbour town and holiday resort is set amidst scenery reminiscent of the Alps. It is well worth visiting the Alte Baronie, which comprises a castle and a landscaped park.
- Sunndal: From Sunndal, a walk of around 1½ hours takes you along a stream to the lake at Bondhusbreen, the best-known glacier tongue on the western side of the Folgefonna Glacier. The walk is rewarded with a sense of wonder, tranquillity and a breathtaking view of a landscape that no artist could capture more beautifully on canvas. On the route back to Sunndal lies Furebergfossen, Norway’s fifth-largest waterfall, which roars down from the mountain ahead of us into the fjord.
- Espevær: Auf dieser Schäreninsel lebten zur Zeit der großen Heringsschwärme in der Mitte des 18. Jahrhunderts 20.000 Menschen – heute sind es weniger als 200. In diesem Ruhe-Paradies finden wir einen naturnahen Ankerplatz in der geschützten Lagune.
We are gradually approaching the Boknafjord system and, as we enter the Byfjord, the city skyline of our destination soon comes into view ahead of us.
