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.
June 24th, 2009 at 6:41 am
Steve,
Enjoyed the reference to Ondine (probably Ondine II). Ondine II took 30th place in the 1968 Sydney-Hobart Race. In that race was another Bill Tripp boat, Kimwanda, a 42″ yawl, that came in 8th. I now own Kimwanda and coincidentally, my father’s name was Bill Tripp, although we are not related.
BTW, I live in japan and i noticed you wanted to visit Japan. If you ever want some info, let me know (although I don’t sail in Japan).
Steve
September 28th, 2011 at 7:48 am
Steve, I sailed on Kimwanda regularly during the summers of 1970/71/72/73 when she was owned by Vice Admiral George Wauchope who had commissioned her from Bill Tripp Senior, and I remember Billy Tripp sailing with us one day when he was still a student. She sailed out of Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club at Oyster Bay on Long Island NY where Ondine II was also anchored. The summers on Long Island Sound were bedeviled by lack of wind but as there were often just the two of us on board it was not a problem and she was easily handled. We did the Block Island Race at least once that I remember, and the 1972 Bermuda Race which was very stormy. Bill Tripp was on board for that and he certainly pushed her to the limit but we did not do very well. I remember crossing a huge migration of dolphins in the Gulf Stream (they stretched from one horizon to the other) and a really rough patch when she fell off a wave and I ended up sitting on the stove – fortunately it was not being used at the time but the next day when the storm had abated the Admiral served up a wonderful meal of steak and red wine. When he died he left her to the nearby US Navy training facility – Fort something but I forget its name – and I would love to know how she ended up with you.
Chris Harvey, Melbourne. Australia
July 9th, 2014 at 9:26 pm
That was Blackfin. Ondine is in beautiful condition in the Pacific Northwest. Blackfin was butchered like that. Such a shame, she was a wonderful boat.