An Account of the cruise by Major-Gen. W. Odling, CB, OBE, MC and his wife in A150 "Salizanda" written by Margaret Odling.
Originally published in "Atalanta Owners Association Bulletin", 1970-71
“Going to sail in Norway? My dear fellow, you're far too old. It's too deep to anchor there and you have to shin up wet rocks and tie your line to a ring.” So said a friend (who had never been to Norway) to Bill, my husband. This was rather frightening but the charts were worse; studying them it didn't look possible to steer a safe course between the rocks. However we determined to persevere, and on Saturday 20th June 1970 we motored Salizanda into Felixstowe docks at 10 a.m.. Her mast was down and firmly lashed on deck. We tied up to the quay alongside the cargo boat Ariosto (about 1000 tons) which was unloading timber. By 3 p.m. it was finished and Sali was hoisted on deck and beautifully chocked up on a bed of straw bags. This is, the third cargo boat she has traveled on and we always find the dockers and ship's crew so helpful and interested.
Having seen her securely stowed, we caught the ferry to Harwich harbour and thence to Parkeston Quay where we boarded the Winston Churchill for Esbjerg. There we entrained to Copenhagen and flew into Oslo airport at 11.30 p.m. on Sunday 21st June. The temperature was 84. The next morning we visited the shipping agency and heard that the Ariosto would not dock until 6 p.m. and that Sali could not be unloaded until the following morning. This is the snag of this method of traveling. Cargo boats always seem to be delayed.
So we spent the day sightseeing in Oslo and were particularly thrilled to see the Viking ships. The temperature was well in to the 80's. It was the hottest day of the holiday. We met our crew who had made their own way to Oslo: Estelle had sailed with us the previous year in Denmark, Eva was the young one, but a grandmother all the same.
At 6 p.m. we were in the docks watching the Ariosto tie up. We none of us wanted the expense (and Oslo is expensive) of a night in a hotel, so Bill asked the mate if we might sleep on board Sali. He consented at once, so after dining ashore, we had the rather amusing experience of going to bed in a yacht on a cargo boat and being very careful not to throw anything overboard.
We were up at 6.30 a.m. next day Tuesday 23rd June, Sali was launched and the mast shipped by the ship's derrick in no time. We motored to a nearby petrol raft and there cooked breakfast.
At 10.30 a.m. we cast off under power as there was no wind and our cruise really began. Our plan was to sail south down the Oslo Fjord and then turn into the leads or skerries continuing along the coast southwest towards Kristiansand. From the first day the scenery was beautiful but each day outdid the last. To begin with the rocks were not much troubles to navigate. At the head of the fjord we were sailing in the shipping channel which was well marked and wide, but later on, when we turned into the leads, they became a real worry. One of us had to read the chart the whole time and know exactly where we were. Of course we had studied the Norwegian Pilot before we started but even so we found the method of marking rocks and shoals and channels very confusing.
Our first day was very hot with little wind. We stopped for lunch and a swim at a small jetty. We were still rather rather nervous about how we were to tie up for the night, but that evenlng we found a jetty at a small village called Saetra Pollen. The next night we tied alongside a short quay at Soon, and the third night we entered a mole at Aasgaardstrand where we had a line to a post at the stem and a kedge out at the stern. So it wasn't difficult after all. It was quite a long time before we discovered the rings in the rocks. One day we noticed a large white circle painted rather nigh up on a rock. In the middle of the circle was a big iron ring and we realized that this was for the use of ships very much larger than ourselves.
On our third morning, June 25th, we had our first strong wind. We wanted to cross from Soon, on the east side of Oslo Fjord, over to the west coast. It was raining and the visibility very poor, and when we left the shelter of the coast the wind rose to Force 6-7. We were heavily reefed with No; 2 jib. We mounted the compass and the crew kept a good watch for the islands we had to pass. The rain stopped about 11 a.m. and from then it was an exhilarating sail as the sea was not unreasonable. In the afternoon the wind dropped and the sun came out and we sailed into Aasgaardstrand. That evening a Norwegian man came aboard and worked our chart for us, showing the channels we should take down the coast. Later we found his route needed checking. Most Norwegians living near the coast own motor boats, there are not many sailing yachts and consequently in their eagerness to help they sometimes forget that masted boats won't go under low bridges and cables. This particular Norwegian recommended that we spend the following night at an island which was so small it was only marked as a dot on the chart.
June 26th was brilliantly clear and we sailed at 9.30 a.m. (no tides so one starts when one's ready) with wind Force 3, down the west coast. At 11.30 a.m. we left the Oslo Fjord and turned in through the Torgersogabet into the skerries, the channels that weave in and out of the rocks and islands that lie off the Norwegian coast. The scenery is always enchanting. Many of the islands have a cabin or chalet built on them as a holiday home, their only means of access is by boat and all fuel and food has to be taken to them. They may not have mod. cons. but the Norwegians love them - and what a marvelous holiday for children.
Having seen her securely stowed, we caught the ferry to Harwich harbour and thence to Parkeston Quay where we boarded the Winston Churchill for Esbjerg. There we entrained to Copenhagen and flew into Oslo airport at 11.30 p.m. on Sunday 21st June. The temperature was 84. The next morning we visited the shipping agency and heard that the Ariosto would not dock until 6 p.m. and that Sali could not be unloaded until the following morning. This is the snag of this method of traveling. Cargo boats always seem to be delayed.
So we spent the day sightseeing in Oslo and were particularly thrilled to see the Viking ships. The temperature was well in to the 80's. It was the hottest day of the holiday. We met our crew who had made their own way to Oslo: Estelle had sailed with us the previous year in Denmark, Eva was the young one, but a grandmother all the same.
At 6 p.m. we were in the docks watching the Ariosto tie up. We none of us wanted the expense (and Oslo is expensive) of a night in a hotel, so Bill asked the mate if we might sleep on board Sali. He consented at once, so after dining ashore, we had the rather amusing experience of going to bed in a yacht on a cargo boat and being very careful not to throw anything overboard.
We were up at 6.30 a.m. next day Tuesday 23rd June, Sali was launched and the mast shipped by the ship's derrick in no time. We motored to a nearby petrol raft and there cooked breakfast.
At 10.30 a.m. we cast off under power as there was no wind and our cruise really began. Our plan was to sail south down the Oslo Fjord and then turn into the leads or skerries continuing along the coast southwest towards Kristiansand. From the first day the scenery was beautiful but each day outdid the last. To begin with the rocks were not much troubles to navigate. At the head of the fjord we were sailing in the shipping channel which was well marked and wide, but later on, when we turned into the leads, they became a real worry. One of us had to read the chart the whole time and know exactly where we were. Of course we had studied the Norwegian Pilot before we started but even so we found the method of marking rocks and shoals and channels very confusing.
Our first day was very hot with little wind. We stopped for lunch and a swim at a small jetty. We were still rather rather nervous about how we were to tie up for the night, but that evenlng we found a jetty at a small village called Saetra Pollen. The next night we tied alongside a short quay at Soon, and the third night we entered a mole at Aasgaardstrand where we had a line to a post at the stem and a kedge out at the stern. So it wasn't difficult after all. It was quite a long time before we discovered the rings in the rocks. One day we noticed a large white circle painted rather nigh up on a rock. In the middle of the circle was a big iron ring and we realized that this was for the use of ships very much larger than ourselves.
On our third morning, June 25th, we had our first strong wind. We wanted to cross from Soon, on the east side of Oslo Fjord, over to the west coast. It was raining and the visibility very poor, and when we left the shelter of the coast the wind rose to Force 6-7. We were heavily reefed with No; 2 jib. We mounted the compass and the crew kept a good watch for the islands we had to pass. The rain stopped about 11 a.m. and from then it was an exhilarating sail as the sea was not unreasonable. In the afternoon the wind dropped and the sun came out and we sailed into Aasgaardstrand. That evening a Norwegian man came aboard and worked our chart for us, showing the channels we should take down the coast. Later we found his route needed checking. Most Norwegians living near the coast own motor boats, there are not many sailing yachts and consequently in their eagerness to help they sometimes forget that masted boats won't go under low bridges and cables. This particular Norwegian recommended that we spend the following night at an island which was so small it was only marked as a dot on the chart.
June 26th was brilliantly clear and we sailed at 9.30 a.m. (no tides so one starts when one's ready) with wind Force 3, down the west coast. At 11.30 a.m. we left the Oslo Fjord and turned in through the Torgersogabet into the skerries, the channels that weave in and out of the rocks and islands that lie off the Norwegian coast. The scenery is always enchanting. Many of the islands have a cabin or chalet built on them as a holiday home, their only means of access is by boat and all fuel and food has to be taken to them. They may not have mod. cons. but the Norwegians love them - and what a marvelous holiday for children.
