We’re ensconced in Tromso, known in Norway as the “Paris of the North”. We’re not sure about the comparison, but this could be our favorite Norwegian city

Tromso is very much a college town, with a large teaching hospital, a variety of restaurants, and numerous interesting museums.

Being located at almost 70 degrees latitude it is also, appropriately, a center for polar research.

Wind Horse is very much on display in the center of town. This has its advantages – easy to meet people – but it is hard to have any privacy. So we have rigged our weather clothes and side awnings on both sides for the first time ever.

Our dock is periodically used by fishing boats, some of whom are open to the public.

Fresh caught ocean salmon (not farmed) is this boat’s specialty.

This Norwegian salmon has quite a different taste from the fresh Alaskan salmon we have previously dined upon. The flavor is milder, more delicate, and does not taste like fish to us. This could be an advantage or not, depending on personal preference.

There are several small floating docks scattered around our segment of the harbor, with yachts from numerous countries.

Our arrival coincided with a weekly Tuesday night race. Somehow being two hundred plus miles above the Artic Circle is not where we would expect to see hi-tech sails on short-ended racing yachts.

There are two museums devoted to the Arctic and in particular Svalbard. Both are excellent. The display on the predator at the top of the food chain (above) caught our eye.

Andresens rents Mauser 30-06 rifles for use as bear defense (we are required to be armed when ashore in Svalbard). They also have 180 grain soft tip ammo (we would prefer 200 grain). We are still looking at defensive options (everyone we have met here who has been to Svalbard has stressed the necessity of being prepared to defend yourself against polar bears).

Walking around town you see yachts preparing for the jump to Svalbard. This French flagged vessel caught our eye. She looked very familiar. Turns out she was a Bill Tripp (senior) breakthrough design from the late 1960s or early 70s. She has very short overhangs which were radical in an era dominated by the CCA racing rule. We could not find out if she was Blackfin or Ondine but we suspect the latter as she is cutter rigged.

Note the small wind screen and frame extension over which a very cozy enclosure is being fastened.

Nearby is a large Polish research vessel. She has an interesting rig with square yards, great for broad reaching (the rest of the time she powers). They are headed to 80 degrees north under charter to a group of scientists.

We’ll close with Tromso’s only negative. There is a large population of sea gulls and they have taken a liking to our booms. As they are not yet potty trained it makes for quite a mess.