Sailing Norway: From Lofoten back to mainland – August 2025

🧭 Factsheet

Route: Haukland to Bodø
Dates: 1 – 10 August 2025
Logged: 131 nm
Days in harbour: 2
Days at anchor: : 1
Highlight: Gullvika

📍 Our Route & Legs

Leg: Haukland → Ballstad

After a slightly restless night — some swell found its way into the anchorage and had the boat rolling gently from side to side — we set off in the morning for the next two weeks of our summer break. The hop to Ballstad was short, and in glorious sunshine we sailed down the fjord under genoa alone, running before the wind. Three hours later, we were tied up in Ballstad.

Once alongside, we got chatting to our pontoon neighbour. As it turned out, he was German too, though he’s been living in Sweden for years and had trailered his small boat up to the Lofoten just for sailing. We spent a really lovely evening together, sharing food and stories.

We were also finally able to buy new engine oil and an oil filter — the oil change had been overdue for quite some time. The incredibly kind harbour master from the local boating association helped us dispose of the used oil, which isn’t always easy on the road without proper facilities. On top of that, he brought us a printed photo greeting he had made especially for us: Ballstad in winter, with the northern lights glowing above it. If it weren’t so cold for so long — and so remote — it would genuinely be an option as a winter harbour.

The next day, we explored the area around Ballstad. Of course, there are countless mountain hikes and summits to tackle here, but we opted for a more relaxed walk around the surroundings, making use of the beautifully laid-out walking and hiking paths.

Leg: Ballstad → Henningsvær

The forecast promised several more days of excellent weather, and we wanted to make the most of it by anchoring. For the short distance to the small anchorage off Æsøya, we planned to motor straight away. First, though, we had to fight our way out of Ballstad Bay, punching into the swell. Once clear, we were able to turn off — only to discover that the anchorage was already occupied.

In theory, there might have been space if we’d run lines ashore. But given the tight confines of the bay and the unknown depths, we decided to move on to the next designated anchorage. Unfortunately, it had absolutely no charm whatsoever: ugly buildings, a factory, and old fish-farm structures still left in the water.

So on we went. “Henningsvær is supposed to be lovely,” they say. And yes — the view from the pontoon towards Festvågtind, with the small houses clustered around the harbour, is spectacular. But the town itself felt overrated to us and, like many places in the Lofoten by now, completely overrun with tourists.

Fun fact: the Joker supermarket in Henningsvær seems to be the only one in all of Norway that sells smoked tofu.

Leg: Henningsvær → Gullvika

We motored the 18 miles to Gullvika Bay, as once again only a light easterly breeze was blowing. The route itself, however, was absolutely stunning. The water was incredibly shallow in places (4–10 metres), crystal-clear and turquoise, with the seabed visible beneath us. On a small skerry alongside us, we spotted a white-tailed eagle. And just before turning into Gullvika, we saw the back of a small whale disappearing beneath the surface.

Gullvika is simply beautiful. It’s not very large, but it offers a jetty for smaller boats, a mooring buoy, and a bit of room to anchor. The facilities are well maintained and invite you to swim, barbecue and just relax. We spent two wonderfully calm and lazy days here.

Leg: Gullvika →Nordskott

As the wind was forecast to drop in the afternoon, it meant an early start: 6 a.m. A quick coffee, then off we went, heading south. Just as predicted, we had good wind at first, sailing with all sails set and the first reef in. By around 10 a.m., we were able to shake the reef out again, still enjoying a steady beam reach (14–17 knots) from the east and very little swell.

For a long time, we could still see the towering peaks of the Lofoten behind us. Leaving them brought a slight twinge of melancholy — but the weather was simply too perfect, and the coming days were forecast to be increasingly stormy.

Leg: Norsdskott→Kjerringøy

From Nordskott, we managed about half an hour of sailing under genoa before having to head so far into the wind that the engine came back on. We covered the 20 miles in around four and a half hours.

Kjerringøy has a charming little harbour, surrounded by colourful holiday cottages.

Leg: Kjerringøy →Bliksvær

Before setting off, we topped up our diesel tanks. The next 24 miles would have to be motored entirely, as we were heading straight into the prevailing south-westerly. We departed in bright sunshine, but towards the end, shortly before Bliksvær, the sky closed in and the wind picked up. Waves grew steep, riding on top of a long swell — altogether deeply uncomfortable sailing.

We were very relieved to finally tie up in Bliksvær. Just before arrival, though, we were treated to one last highlight: on the small islands off Bliksvær, we spotted a family of four white-tailed eagles, clearly out hunting. Absolutely magnificent.

Here, we dropped our last Norwegian kroner into the honesty box. In Bodø, thankfully, we’d be able to withdraw cash again.

Leg: Bliksvær → Bodø

From Bliksvær to Bodø is just a short hop. For the nine miles, we could have taken our time — but from our inbound trip we knew how popular the harbour is and how quickly it fills up. Bodø is the only larger town between Trondheim and Tromsø and is a common departure and arrival point for Lofoten sailors.

The harbour is well protected and offers excellent provisioning. The forecast promised heavy rain and increasing winds later on, so we set off early and motored east. When we saw Dixbay (a large Dutch aluminium yacht) and Saefthinge (a Belgian two-masted schooner) leaving the harbour, we breathed a sigh of relief — chances were good we’d find space.

And indeed, we managed to berth in the more sheltered inner area this time. Completely soaked, though, as the heavy rain arrived much earlier than forecast.

We spent two days here topping up supplies and — finally — getting hold of cash again. That really is one of the more annoying aspects of Norway, especially when you’re staying for longer.

🗺️ Besondere Erlebnisse & Learnings

Even in the Lofoten, there are places you wouldn’t want to anchor
Tourist hotspots like Henningsvær are best avoided in high season
In summer, harbours can be extremely crowded: boats — especially charter yachts — keep getting bigger, while the small village harbours were never designed for them