5/29 -- Visit Fish Farm and Transfer to Hurtigruten Ship

Although snow was forecast for Bergen today and rain was possible, it was mostly pleasant, if windy. We got a late start and left for the Oygarden Aquaculture Center on one of Norway's many islands. The landscape we saw was much rockier and barren than the Norway we have seen so far.

We arrived in time for lunch, and then watched a movie about the  Norwegian fish farming industry and the Blom company specifically. They are a mid-sized company here. The movie detailed the entire fish raising process from eggs to production and emphasized a lot of the steps they take to make aquaculture safe and affordable. After the movie, we got a chance to visit a nearby fish farm. One of the best parts of the visit was the speedboat ride there and back. The boat seats were straddled, sort of like riding a well-padded skinny horse.We got a chance to ask questions and a lot of the issues we have read about concerning farmed fish were asked and answered in ways that suggest that at least in Norway, that the industry is well-regulated and many of the early problems with sea lice and escaping fish were well-understood and addressed.

Johan in front of a graphic of a pen. They hold 114,000 fish.

This pond holds steelhead trout, and there were a few
jumping all the time, but they apparently were camera shy.

It was pretty chilly, but didn't rain til we were done.

The blue blob is a little fish introduced to the pens to help
keep them clean.

View from the front of the boat on the way back.

The big gray building in the back is the museum.

Back on land, we got a pancake and either raspberry or strawberry jam before heading upstairs to a museum to learn more. We have heard before that the oil and gas industry here has been a boon to the populace, and our tour guide gave us examples of  how it has helped. Before oil riches, much of Norway's archipelago was accessible only by boats and ferries. Oil money provided the  means to build bridges and roads and significantly facilitated travel to the mainland. We were told that the museum we were in would have been impossible without  oil money at the same time that the guide recognized that this was a two-edged sword.

Early people here were fisher-farmers and it was hard work.
The growing season was limited and there were more big
rocks that tillable soil.

This is what a bedroom looked like in a typical two room
cottage.

This is called a 4 our boat. To get to Bergen from here required
9 hours of rowing each way.

This is similar to the whaling harpoon I wrote about
yesterday without the grenade. When the fins were
extended, it provided a much firmer hold on the whale.

This is a model of one of the deep water
oil rigs -- it goes down about 1500 feet.

We headed back to Bergen and our ship and got checked in. We explored a bit and considered a heavily discounted upgrade to a suite (primarily because our room is on the promenade deck and the suite was  not) but we decided to decline the great deal. Our first dinner was buffet style and the food was good. I am not that keen on fish, and those like me were advised to have the non-fish options early, because they would become more rare as we head up the coast. Fortunately at the introductory briefing, they said they publish the fixed menu each noon and if you want something else, you can ask.We will be on the boat for 6 days before disembarking at Kirkenes.

Interestingly, in emailing our guide for the next tour, we discovered he is living in one of  our first ports of call tomorrow, so we made arrangements to meet him early!