Below the Arctic Circle once more...

Day 71: Monday 20th July, 2026

Rodoy to Heroy

Duration: 9 hrs 10mins

After a good night's sleep we awoke to greyer skies once more. A quick away, back into the protected inner leads, we swiftly passed the Arctic Circle Globe on Vikingen Island - (which we had excitedly passed heading North toward Midsummer, back on the 20th of June) - The Arctic Circle line is actually moving around 14 metres a year due to the Earth's shifting tilt, making a long and slow journey across Norway from Bronnoysund in the southern part of Nordland county to Moskenes in the Lofotens in the north - a vast 267 kilometres in total...

As we happily headed south the skies brightened.... illuminating the full glory of the Seven Sisters, which we had seen moodily draped in a topping of cloud on our way North too...

We had planned to stop after 40 miles or so, at Sandnessjoen, but as the weather was fine and the sailing so calm, we opted to go another 10 miles and headed southwest...

...out to the Heroy archipelago - another group of low lying islets and skerries (over 1700) connected by bridges with shallow waters and sheltered bays - a popular summer destination for kayakers and cyclists...

As we approached the islands, a strange form came into view, sitting among the channel marker poles...and as we neared, we saw it was an amazing 10m bronze statue sitting on a skerry, called "Petter pa skjaeret" / Peter on the skerry - which is a depiction of the famous myth about the 17th Century poet and priest Petter Dass who allegedly rode the Devil as a ferryman across the sea to Copenhagen so he could deliver his Christmas sermon...(he was born in Heroy)...

...The statue fulfils a vision first proposed in 1901 by the Sami author Matti Aikio, who imagined a 'massive monument erected out in the elements'.. "where the fishermen sail the shipping lane", where the sculpture would rise out of nature and change in appearance throughout the day with rising and falling tides, as well as differences in weather and season. Sitting, as he does, with the dramatic backdrop of the Seven Sisters adds to his powerful visual symbolism, and connects him to his cultural history.

...Following Peter's outstretched pointed hand we soon came into Heroysundet and made our way toward Heroy Brygee, who had taken our dinner reservation by phone and said we could tie up to their jetty below...

...a perfect spot to enjoy a wee saunter and then partake in a very tasty dinner with excellent views.

...before finally taking the few short steps back to the boat for a good night's sleep...