Position: 60°4.18’N, 6°32.66’E

Sondre Haukedal, a reporter for the local newspaper Hardanger Folkeblad, saw Dirona moored in Odda and came by this morning to interview us. We enjoyed meeting him and talking about our trip and what brought us to the area.

Position: 60°4.18’N, 6°32.66’E

Returning with a load of groceries from a nearby store in Odda. The store was so close it was easier to just bring their cart to the boat and walk it back, rather than get out our folding cart.

Position: 60°7.06’N, 6°32.91’E

The Tyssedal Power Station lights reflecting into still waters as we pass by on a 5:00am departure from Odda. We had a fabulous week in Odda, and really enjoyed all the hikes and the road trips.

Position: 60°26.48’N, 6°45.72’E

Making chocolate chip muffins for breakfast while underway from Odda.

Position: 60°28.08’N, 6°49.01’E

About to pass under the tunnel-to-tunnel Hardanger Bridge, that we’ve driven across several times, en route to Eidfjorden from Odda.

Position: 60°28.98’N, 6°56.68’E

The river Rotagjelet, one of many waterfalls flowing down the cliffs along dramatic Eidfjorden.

Position: 60°29.02’N, 6°59.42’E

The town of Erdal at the mouth of the river Erdalselva on the south side of Eidfjorden.

Position: 60°29.01’N, 7°0.04’E

Underway in Eidfjorden, spectacular even in overcast conditions.

Position: 60°28.98’N, 7°2.59’E

It’s only early September, but already a light dusting of snow has fallen on the peak of 5318-ft (1621m) mountain Onen. The snow looks beautiful.

Position: 60°28.98’N, 7°3.24’E

Typhoon Haishen is approaching the Korean Peninsula today, with an incredible low pressure center of 935mb. The system was the first super typhoon (winds of 100 knots) of the 2020 season. The storm is weakening, and this is actually higher than the astounding lowest pressure of 920mb reached yesterday. Haishen made landfall on September 6th as a strong category 2-equivalent typhoon (winds of between 83 and 95 knots), inflicting over $100 million USD in damage.

Position: 60°29.69’N, 7°7.65’E

The rivers Neselvi (left) and Aselvi, flowing down 4,000ft (1200m) cliffs along the north shore of Simadalsfjorden, a branch of Eidfjorden.

Position: 60°29.90’N, 7°8.09’E

The dramatic Sima Valley at the head of Simadalsfjorden, with the 500MW Sima Hydroelectric Power Station in the foreground.

Position: 60°29.96’N, 7°8.01’E

The boardwalks visible along the base of these cliffs at the head of Simadalsfjorden are part of the trail to the famous Kjeasen mountain farms. Described as the “world’s most inaccessible farm,” Kjeasen sits 2,000ft (600m) above the fjord and could only be reached on foot until 1974. The original trail, now maintained by the Norwegian Trekking Association, takes 1.5 hours one way and is rated “extra demanding”.

The area has been occupied since the 1650s and all material had to be carried up on the resident’s backs. Kjeasen isn’t unusual in Norway though, the country is full of such difficult-to-reach farms, the people drawn by the abundant natural resources and rich planting soil. The children who lived at the Kjeasen at one point numbered 13, and in the summer daily walked the trail to school at Simadal and back. In the winter, the trail was too dangerous, so they lived with relatives in Simadal.

We’d love to visit the farm, but with the rainfall of the past couple of days, the trail will be awfully muddy and slippery.

Position: 60°29.35’N, 7°5.64’E

We got a few boat project done while at anchor in Simadalsfjorden on a rainy day. Here James is tightening up the rotation screw adjustment on our helm seat. On Stidd seats, the rotation control is a hand screw and the hand screw range is set by adjusting a hex machine screw on the other side. Over time, ours has loosened off so the hand screw no longer is effective. We tighten the machine screw with Loctite to correct this, a fix that will last for several years.

Position: 60°29.35’N, 7°5.65’E

Changing the primary fuel filter on the main engine. We change these filters annually or when the filter vacuum exceeds 5″ Hg, with the latter just about always being the limit. We could use 7.5″ Hg—that is a perfectly acceptable vacuum for our engine—but we prefer to change them on the early side.

The filter change intervals vary a lot depending upon fuel quality. The fastest we have changed these filters is 29 hours and the longest we have run them was 1,658 hours, with the average in the 400 hour range. The filter is black from accumulated ashpaltanes in the tank after 10 years of use, but it’s not yet at a point where filter change intervals are negatively impacted.

Position: 60°29.36’N, 7°5.67’E

The latch in one of our galley drawers failed and we replaced it with a spare.

Position: 60°29.36’N, 7°5.67’E

On our previous trip to Norway, we frequently saw eco-adventure boats out doing tours. With the pandemic and travel restrictions, this might be the second one we’ve seen in six weeks.

Position: 60°29.35’N, 7°5.63’E

The generator rear main oil seal was leaking badly for the couple of hundred hours prior to replacing the cylinder head (failed #3 exhaust valve). Prior to changing the cylinder head, we dramatically improved the leak by venting the crankcase to atmospheric pressure. With that change the engine still leaked oil but rather than spraying out onto the floor and the adjoining wing engine if the cover was removed while the generator was running, it would just leak to the oil diapers below. Not great but tolerable. In The Case of the Missing Oil Leak we explain why the oil leak stopped entirely when we replaced the cylinder head and changed the oil.

It’s now been 285 operating hours since the cylinder head replacement and the engine still is not leaking. We expect the leak will eventually return but, for now, we’re enjoying the nice clean engine. Today we made the neutral crankcase ventilation system a bit nicer than a shop rag hosed clamped over the oil filter hole. Here you can see we have drilled a hole in the oil filter caps, taped the hole, installed a hose barge, and vented that into an oil catch bottle below. It’s a cleaner configuration and the only service it needs is to drain the bottle every year or so.

Position: 60°29.36’N, 7°5.63’E

The package of fresh salmon we’d purchased at Odda has a tell-tale thermometer to reveal if the package ever got too warm.

Position: 60°29.35’N, 7°5.64’E

Happy hour in the cockpit at Simadalsfjorden with a view to the Smorblindo waterfall.

Position: 60°29.35’N, 7°5.64’E

Our spectacular anchorage at the base of 3963ft (1208m) Hotlenuten in Simadalsfjorden beside the Smorblindo waterfall.

Position: 60°29.34’N, 7°5.62’E

We took apart failed main engine alternator and found the brushes were worn out, but the rotor is showing continuity with no shorts. The alternator appears to only need brushes and otherwise is fine.

Position: 60°29.34’N, 7°5.62’E

A view from our anchorage to the spectacular Sima Valley at the head of Simadalsfjorden.

Position: 60°29.77’N, 7°0.58’E

The waterfall from the river Skorselva along the north shore of Eidfjorden as we are underway from Simadalsfjorden.

Position: 60°29.99’N, 6°59.26’E

The Ologselva river descending between 2,000-ft cliffs in Eidfjorden. Literally dozens of waterfalls flow here after heavy rains.

Position: 60°33.12’N, 6°55.06’E

Approaching the town of Ulvik at the head of Ulvikjforden in ultra-calm conditions. We plan to to anchor off the town for a night or two.

Position: 60°34.13’N, 6°56.14’E

Norway seems to have a very strong connection to Seattle. We often meet people here who have family in the area or who have visited. Today a visitor came by to say hello who was actually from Seattle and had lived in Norway for the past few years.

Position: 60°34.13’N, 6°56.15’E

Performing the twice-yearly lubrication of the bow roller. The grease fittings we added while in Auckland have been super-convenient.

Position: 60°34.13’N, 6°56.14’E

Changing the furnace fuel filter. We’ve been in cold climates so the furnace has had lots of use, but the filter is in pretty good shape.

Position: 60°34.12’N, 6°56.12’E

The lights of Ulvik reflecting into calm waters at dusk, viewed from the anchorage at Ulvikfjorden.