Operation Tromsø

Written by Nicolay Jacobsen - Friday, 04 September 2009 08:08

Its nearing the end of the search now and in order to make it back to the press conference in Tromsø in time I got a lift with a Super Puma helicopter from Bear Island yesterday. As I went to sleep my last night on Bear Island I could not help but feeling a little wistful. First of all because I most probably will ever be able to go back to that wonderful Island again and also because it meant the start of an end to this wonderful adventure. I am now in Tromsø and its not over quite yet, I have not had any contact with KV Harstad today so I still do not now the results from the last  Hugin trip. I kind of want to keep the excitement with me for tomorrow when I meet up with the rest of the crew again. I am of course hoping that they will bring good news and I am still clinging onto the idea of them doing so. So come on KVHarstad bring us the good news tomorrow!

Before I left Bear Island I managed to become a proud member of Bear Island Naturalist Swimming Club.  Frode, Milan and I went  for a swim, it was 3,4 degrees celcius. I now have a Diploma as a proof and I  am also able to produce some photographs, that is if the right occasion occurs of course...

We also went for a fishing trip were some of us (not mentioning names) caught and released some beautiful Char, it was bright orange on its stomach and we could see lots of them just swimming around in their own little worlds. We wanted to go for an overnight trip to one of the six cabins located on the island but It was very foggy and also we needed to stay near the station incase KV Harstad were to find anything. So apart from the fishingtrip we really did not get to go on any longer expeditions within the expedition.

Today it has been all about exploring Tromsø for my part. It was really exciting to enter it in the Super Puma Helicopter yesterday, the whole flight took a little over two hours as supposed to 24 with KV Harstad. As we left Bear Island it was very foggy so we could not see much, but then just before getting to Tromsø the sky opened up and the sun bathed the archipelago  surrounding and the fjord coming into Tromsø. Even the Helicopter guys flying here a lot got out their cameras, it was really an experience. 
This morning I first went to Polaria, a polar museum were I amongst other things saw feeding of seals, not that impressive to me offcourse since I am used to seeing them all the time on Bear Island... I then had a nice stroll through Storgata the main street and sat down for some lunch and nice Coffee in the sun at Kaffebønna. Here I got  talking to some Tromsø people, they told me a lot about the place and they even invited  for  dinner tonight, and as my luck has it they happen to be nice beautiful native women!

There is a silent film festival on in Tromsø at the moment and tomorrow they are actually showing a documentary called Frosty Celluloid (I think), and it is about Roald Amundsen - Lincoln Ellswoths flying expedition 1925, were they tried to reach the North Pole. I have never seen this film and hopefully I will most likely just have time to see it before the press conference  tomorrow. The Press conference will be onboard KV Harstad 16.30.

Even though this expedition has turned into something different that I was expecting I must say that I am having the  time of my life.  My goal joining this expedition was not only to find remains of the Latham 47 but also to dedicate this time to finding out more about Roald Amundsen and my relation to him. I must admit that being a somewhat distant relative I have found my role a little awkward at times. But, I have come to the conclusion that I am after all been invited so why not just make the best out of it.  I think I am doing just so and enjoying every last minute of it!


Nicolay

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