Clipfish Capital...

Day 42: Tuesday 9th June, 2026

Bud to Kristiansund

Duration: 5hrs 20mins

Awoke to calm and settled conditions, so after a leisurely get up, we slipped our lines and departed Bud. Initially heading northwest following the stunning coast ...

.. and then northeast, through Hustadvika - an infamously dangerous area which is exposed to all except south and southeasterlies - it is littered with islets and skerries which are not substantial enough to provide shelter from the open water beyond, but do make navigation an intricate dance through narrow marked passages...

...which the Captain managed with great skill and aplomb..(helped a little by clear visibility and calm waters)

The mountainous scenery was beautiful to gently pass by..

...and we were able to motor-sail alongside the most famous 8km stretch of the Atlantic Ocean Road - a modern highway that links the islands and skerries that span the mouth of the Lauvoyfjord with 8 dramatic swooping bridges ...used as a film location for James Bond's "No Time to Die" and "Succession" ...and voted The Guardians most spectacular road trip.. we could certainly see why...

The full 36km runs from Bud to Averoy.... where the playfully moulded Hestskjaer Lighthouse sits...first lit in 1879, it was the first lighthouse in Norway to use the Swedish invention of timed intervals...

...another 15km north and then we came into Kristiansund - or tried to...for as we approached the bridge we heard a holler from the workers ashore, and after an unclear and confusing series of hand gestures, it became apparent passing underneath was not possible - so we did a quick turn and entered slightly further round, through the channel between Innlandnet and Nordlandet.

Kristiansund is made up of 4 interconnected islands, and as the Captain aptly described it, the main waterways in are reminiscent of a hot cross bun (I think he has a pastry problem)...

We passed the smallest and most historic island of Innlandnet, with its characterful wooden wharf buildings...

...and then passed the Klippfisk (clipfish ) Museum...and its resident kittiwake colony...and other historic harbour buildings that sit on Gomalandnet, which adjoins the main island of Kirkelandnet...

...which is where the town's marina lies...and where we safely found a lovely sheltered space on a quiet jetty...

With a balmy 21 degrees (highest temperature yet!), we donned our shorts and went exploring...

...first to the Varden viewpoint... 78m former lookout tower...that gave us views across the town...

...and then down to the harbour...

...to admire the 'Klippefiskjerringa' sculpture - the 'Clipfish Woman' - a tribute to the many women who worked in the clipfish industry. For over 200 years clipfish has shaped Kristiansund's identity and it is still known as The Clipfish Capital. Clipfish is white fish (usually cod) that is split, deboned and then heavily salted and dried to preserve it. Today they still have a Clipfish Festival and it is still served and cooked in local restaurants and homes alike...

The statue itself sits on the harbour-front and is where we were able to hop aboard the Sundbaten - an iconic little ferry that connects the islands for free, which has been running continuously since 1876 and is the worlds oldest continuous public transport by sea that is still in operation...

...We took it to take a closer look at the charming old town on Innlandnet...

...amongst the historic buildings, sits the Tolboden - a customhouse - one of Kristiansund's oldest buildings, having survived German bombings in WW2...it was built in the 1660's and was the city's primary customs house until 1744. It is a rare example where the warehouse and residence was housed under one roof...

....so back on the Sundbaten ferry we went, and returned to the boat, where we forced ourselves to partake in some local cuisine at 'Kranaskjaeret' marina restaurant , where I had some very tasty steamed cod, and the Captain had some local mussels and obligatory chips....