or less the same place the further north you go, so there was like an orangey glow to the sky to the north and then a dark bit and then another orangey glow, its very hard to describe but it was like a twilight sunset, dark bit and then twilight sunrise all at the same time! We have also seen the sky getting lighter in the north the later it gets, can’t wait to get into the arctic and see what the sky does there. I just hope its gets a bit more sunny, but it does have a tendency to brighten up the later it gets which suits us fine!

Well off to venture outside again, in abit init xhx

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15TH MAY 2005

Bronnoysund - Sandnessjoen - Nesna - (arctic circle) - Ornes - Bodo - Stamsund - Svolvaer

Today we crossed into the arctic circle! Unfortunately we were still in our cabin

when the ship actually crossed the invisible line but we saw the rock with the globe thingy on it, and then we ventured outside at 7.10 in the morning! There was a competition between fellow travellers on what the actual time would be when we crossed into the arctic and I was only 6 minutes out, Rob was 10 minutes, not bad guesses me thinks, the actual crossing time was 7.06!

The arctic is incredible, the rawness of the place is immense, the wind is so strong and the blizzards are hectic. I’ve seen more snow showers today than I probably have in all my life! At one point I tried to open the door to get on deck, not a chance, full body shove on the thing and no-way hosé, couldn’t move the door for love nor money, fortunately Rob came to the rescue but even he struggled. We had a battle with the elements to get to the front of the boat to check out the view, and boy was it worth it, you could