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Sailing into the Mountains of Norway | Sailing Florence Ep.226
March 5, 2026 · 34 min · 45K views · Norwegian Coast & Fjords
Sailboat Florence crew steering through Norwegian fjord at dusk
What this video covers
Amy and Matt sail their Oyster Marine 37 Heritage, Florence, through the final stretch of Norway's coast, covering a 140-mile overnight passage south to the lighthouse island of Ona before pushing into an unnamed fjord near Ålesund.2:33 The overnight run departs from a quiet island anchorage in the Helgeland archipelago when afternoon wind arrives; they take the outside route around a rocky island group for simpler night navigation, threading a narrow gap under asymmetric spinnaker before reaching open water.3:38 Fog at dawn puts them on radar watch for vessels not showing on AIS.12:01 They motor the last nine miles into Ona, a harbour of 14 year-round residents whose old fishermen's warehouses are being converted to homes.13:58 Continuing south past Ålesund, they tack up a quieter alternative to Geirangerfjord — wind funneling down from glaciated peaks forces repeated tacks — using a staysail-backed-to-mast system specifically chosen for fjord sailing.21:27 From the anchorage at the fjord head, Matt and Amy hike the 1,100-metre peak Sloggen, gaining views of Florence far below and of Ålesund and the open ocean beyond.32:06 The staysail arrangement, chosen before the voyage specifically to simplify tacking in Norwegian fjords, proved its worth on the first real test.21:38
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