To NordKapp and back again

The D-day has finally come.
A few hundreds more km to fly, some difficulties to overcome (northern airfields closed during the weekend being the most pressing in the morning) but the target is within reach, weather permitting.

Departing from Svolvaer, passing at 1.500 feet through a wilder landscape of "wave" clouds and snow-topped mountains, dotted here and there by sparse wooden houses.
A quick pit stop to refuel in Hammerfest and off again, flying over the 71st Parallel and the northernmost point in Europe.

And so Nordkapp was conquered, by doing some formation flying and low passes over the Nordkapp signpost and close the mountain side - a bit too close maybe, for the amusement of the tourists but also risking to be taken down in a rotor, thereby prematurely ending our adventure.

Not that the other days flying was 100% quiet and smooth, but today we definitely exceeded the daily dose of turbulence, crappy weather and hold-your-breath landings, enough to be able to enjoy a quiet dinner and the Tromso midnight sun marathon - and a quiet jet liner flight tomorrow to go back south.

Adventure time is finished, it is time to leave the little Diamond parked in the arctic city of Tromso, for somebody else to take it back home. And it is also time to lean back, relax and savour the memories of emotions, discoveries, fears and expectations of these days.

Bye Charlie Romeo, till next time.

Midsummer

With the official start of summer, we crossed the Arctic circle and reached the Lofoten archipelago, landing in Leknes and Svolvaer, not before playing a bit in the skies above the islands in formation with the sister aircraft (meet Charlie Sierra, twin of our Charlie Romeo, a bit under the weather, like all of us).

The air gets finer and clearer, the colours brighter and the water calmer. The night disappears and we enter dreamland Svolvaer bay.

It is midsummer night, people are out celebrating until late (what is late anyway?), some are jumping naked in the ice-cold water to show either prowess or recklessness. The reflexes on the water have something magic and soothing for the spirit.

Feeling like time stopped, we should nevertheless try to get some sleep. We still have a mission to accomplish, the 71st parallel is waiting for us.

In the Sognefjord

And a beautiful day it was.
Beautiful for walking around pretty Bergen, "the most beautiful small town in the world", according to my guidebook.

And perfect also for flying out of it and deep into the Sognefjord, home to breathtaking lascapes, and to a minuscule, almost invisible landing strip on the side of a rock. No flying in the clouds or away from a storm today, but once again excellent piloting skills deployed to land in Sogndal.

The second leg today brought us high up again, over the central mountain range, overflying a glacier and doing a 360 loop to check the small aircraft in the backyard of a house (where else would you keep one if you lived in Gerainger?). One last loop to note the score of a football match while overflying Alesund and finally we can land 400 km further north-east, in Trondheim.

A long way done but not even half way to our destination Nordkapp. In fact, we still get sunrise and sunset. And an Italian restaurant at dinner time. Tomorrow this has got to change.

Northbound

Half a year ago it was down under. Now it is definitely up and above: jumping on a Diamond 40 - an old friend met almost 3 years ago, Delta Echo Sierra Charlie Romeo - heading Nordkapp for Midsummer.

Wishing I could help with piloting next time, for the time being I'm performing my usual photographer's role, sometimes flight attendant, passing vfr charts or water.

And off we go, right after the Ryanair Boeing. 1500 ft, overflying the Affligem tower (yes, there is more than just a brewery in Affligem), heading north Germany for the first leg, passing quickly over the Netherlands - Dutch controllers just seem to want us fast out of their skies.

Three hours later we are in Husum, family run (sort of) airfield, big man with big belly and basic English at the radio, free cups of coffee for everybody, a storm on our way north and another one coming from the south. Better to go quickly and better to be above the clouds than below them. Beautiful flying in cotton at times at 10.000 feet.

Feeling confident for being high enough and with radar control, we can make it all the way through the bad weather and to Bergen. Note to self: no problem to go through the clouds or to pass airport security without even showing an id but no way you can find a place to sleep in Bergen without a reservation.

Tomorrow, we are told, will be a beautiful day for flying.