Sea Eagle Safari

We got to Mausund late on Thursday due to the long ferry queue at Norddyrøy.  Our friends, Thor Gunnar and Ann Kristen, arrived Friday night.  We spent a relaxing weekend with them, feasting on bacalao, hiking and fishing from the shore using spin-casting reels and lures.  Thor Gunnar caught only one fish on Saturday.  Our fishing luck would soon change.

On Sunday, May 12, Tove's cousin, Gustav, and his wife, Berit, invited all of us out on his boat to fish and tour the archipelago.  Gustav and Berit operate Mausundgløtt, a guesthouse out on Mausund.  Here are Gustav and Berit:

The boat trip turned out to be an unforgettable adventure.  Gustav and Berit really know what they are doing.

On the way out to some very fine fishing spots we spotted a wild mink swimming in the channel.

We came across a mink swimming from one island to another

With Gustav's expertise in knowing where to fish, we caught 28 cod!

Thor Gunnar caught the largest cod

Berit lead the hunt for seagull eggs.

Looking for seagull eggs

Seagulls lay large eggs!

Size doesn't matter, I'm told.

Lunch break on one of the rocky islands.  We ate waffles made from seagull eggs.  Delicious.

The skies began to clear after lunch

We spotted a pair of sea eagles.  They are magnificent creatures.

The havørn, sea eagle or white-tailed eagle in English is a huge and majestic creature.  It is one of the largest eagles in the world.  It was endangered, but now is no longer on the list.  Gustav took us to one of the craggy rocks-of-an island to find the eagles' nest.  Berit took us up to the top of the cliffs.  We had to peer over the edge of the cliff which plunged 100 feet down to the sea in order to view the nest and the eaglets.  I was, in fact, too scared to lean over to look.  But after the others did it and after assuring me that it was safe, I took a look.  Here's what I saw.

Tove leaned over the cliff to snap this shot of the two eaglets in their aerie.

I took this one.  Not as good as Tove's but I liked how it shows their huge feet.

This is at the top of the rock where the eagle's nest was.

Tove snapped this one as we scrambled back down the cliff to Gustav's boat.  What an experience!

Norddyrøy lemonade

Norway has a national holiday for the ascension of Christ into heaven (Ascension Day).  This year it fell on Thursday, May 9.  We decided to take advantage of the holiday to make a 4 day weekend and go to Mausund.  We were concerned that traffic would be heavy, so we left really early to give us enough time to get to the ferry crossing.  Notwithstanding our early departure, when we got to the ferry crossing we found ourselves waaaayyyy back in line for the 1:30 p.m. ferry.  If we couldn't get on, we would have to wait until 4:35 p.m. for the next ferry, i.e., almost THREE HOURS!  You know what happened, don't you?  Yes you do.

So there we were out in the middle of nowhere with 3 hours to burn until the next ferry.  We decided to go for a walk.  Good decision.  We never would have found this beautiful hiking trail had we not had the delay.  The hike took about 1 and a half hours, so it was a perfect diversion.

At the start of the hike.

The little lambs were so cute.

Tursti means hiking trail.  This is the trailhead.  Note the steps so you don't have to open the gate

It was a wide, clear trail at the outset.

The shelter in the distance is for public use.

It is a very basic shelter like a tent made out of wood.

Nice touch, the woodstove

The ancient-seeming stone fences gave the feeling of viking times.  These islands out here were inhabited by vikings

Early Spring Colors

Clear sea water with sandy bottom

At the trail's crest.  It looks dry, but it was very wet and marshy

The trail wound down to this little bay.  There were picnic tables and a fireplace down there.

Tove is hopping from board to board to avoid the marshy surroundings

The end of the trail.  It was a semi-circular route that lead back to the road.

.....The road less traveled.  

So, the hike was really fun and beautiful.  We would never have found this "off-the beaten-path" hike but for the 3 hour delay.  We made lemons out of lemondade out at Norddyrøy.

Short trip to USA

I had to see my older brother in Dallas, Oregon, last week.  John lives in a "group home" in Oregon.  He is well taken care of.  John and I have an uncle who lives in Salem, which is about 20 miles away from where John lives.  Bob and his wife, Pat, routinely visit John and take him out to lunch.  John is quite lucky to have such caring people in his life.

Since I had to go to Oregon, I wanted to stop in Chicago to visit my children and grandchildren.  The timing was not great, though, as Devon had made plans to go to Seattle with Graham to throw a surprise baby shower for one of her best friends (and her maid of honor at her wedding).  But at least I got to see Devon and Graham the evening I arrived.  I wish I'd taken more pictures.

Graham was feeding himself.

Sweet Piper

Piper tries on the Hello Kitty back pack that Oldemor Kitty gave her.

Piper with the pendant and dress that we gave her and the backpack

After less than 48 hours in Chicago I was off to Oregon.  John and I stayed in a hotel in Salem.  I had made DVDs of our home movies from 1949 - 1967 for John.  I gave him a portable DVD player so he can watch them whenever he wants.  Bob and Pat invited us for dinner at their beautiful home in Salem.  John is usually reluctant to visit anyone at their home, but he quickly accepted the invitation.  We sat out on their deck on a beautiful evening and really had a good time.

After I dropped John back at the group home, I visited Aunt Karen and Uncle Roger in Silverton.  I got to see Juliet, who is Karen's granddaughter born just one day before Piper.

Juliet (from Melissa's FB page

I had planned on just spending an hour or so at Karen and Roger's, but I enjoyed chatting with them so much that I was there for hours.  Long enough to still be there when Karen's daughter, Juliet's mother, my cousin Melissa arrived there after work.  Melissa and her husband Dave are staying there while waiting to move into their new home in Silverton.

Melissa and Dave  (from Melissa's FB page)

The next day I was on a plane back to Norway.  I took pictures of the same mountain you see behind Melissa and Dave.

Mt Hood

Mt Hood

Liv's Naming Celebration

A couple of weeks ago we attended Liv's naming celebration in Sunnmøre.  The event was held at the Ivar Aasen Centre.  The celebration is conducted through the Human-Etisk Forbund (Norwegian Humanist Association).  The idea behind the ceremony is to provide a nonreligious celebration for welcoming babies into the world.  The ceremony ended with everyone singing "Barn av Regnbuen", which is based on Pete Seegers "Rainbow Race".  The song has special meaning to many because during the investigation and trial of Norwegian mass murderer Breivik we learned that the murderous bastard hates this song.  Accordingly, it has become the traditional closing sing-along song at the memorial concerts for July 22.  Lillebjørn Nilsen wrote the Norwegian lyrics for the song.  Here he is singing it at last year's memorial concert:

Click this if you want to hear "Barn av Regnbuen"  Note:  Using my PC when I click on the link it takes me to the 4:46 'minute mark' in the video, but from my iPhone it starts at the beginning of the video.  So if the latter happens to you and you don't want to hear "God natt Oslo", then forward to 4:46.  I think it is a beautiful and moving melody.

This video shows Liv being welcomed.  When older siblings were on stage, the sibling received the certificate and flowers.  Mari was a bit surprised by this, I think, but she enjoyed it.

Arild, Liv, Ingvild and Mari 

Proud Grandfathers Einar and Odd

Ingvild and Arild set a beautiful table.  They catered food from a local restaurant.  The dinner was delicious.

Liv loves her mommy.

Tove and I got to stay in Einar's cabin on a nearby lake.  It is a traditional Norwegian hytte, right on the lake.  Motorboats are prohibited on the lake, so it is idyllic and serene.

Wildflowers on the cabin grounds

The path from the cabin to the road