The best of two worlds – sailing and skiing Norway's wild northern coast

Alta, Norway, Sunday May 14, 2023. Just below the 70th latitude, we meet the two other passengers and eagerly await departure in the sleepy port of Alta. It’s late afternoon, the sky is gray, and far in the distance, a range of snow-covered mountains rises from the calm fjord. SeilNorge's 50-foot Bavaria sailboat Havblikk will be our home for the upcoming week. Skipper Helena Laursen and guide Jordi Tosas will lead the way.

Winds are light, and a few hours of gentle motoring through the evening lead us to our first destination. Along the way, we get a feel for the realities of winter sailing (although shoulder season might be more accurate for this time of year). Not yet acclimatized to the cold northern climate, we sit wrapped in our warmest gear, gazing at the winter-hibernating landscape we glide by. The light winds and calm seas are a blessing when skipper Helena throws a surprise man overboard drill and reminds us that we’re a team and must act accordingly. 

The first night is spent at anchor in Indre Lokkarfjorden, a tiny fjord on the southern side of Stjernesundet. There’s no one else around – no houses, no other skiers. We’ve heard that the mountains of West Finnmark offer a less crowded alternative to the more famous Lyngen further southwest, and so far, it looks very promising.

Gradually getting accustomed to the tight living quarters, we enjoy a quick breakfast and a cup of coffee on deck in the early morning sun. It is late in the season, very late, so late that this trip is SeilNorge’s last trip of the winter season. However, that doesn’t dampen our expectations. There will be skiing! Today’s goal is to skin up towards Njalirášša to assess conditions, and to let guide Jordi get a feel of the group’s ski touring experience.

Before jumping in the dinghy that will bring us to the beach, we get our very first lesson on the importance of gear control on a trip like this. You don’t have much space, so you can’t leave your stuff floating around the boat, and you don’t want to be the person who suddenly realizes that you forgot your skins back in the city when the dinghy leaves for shore in a few minutes. But this seems to be a well-organized bunch, and we all get to shore according to plan.  

The first day in the mountains was a success. There’s still plenty of snow and a unique sense of being part of something special as you prepare skis and skins on a secluded beach, ascend through majestic surroundings for a few hours, and then get to ski down some of the most isolated mountains in Norway.

Throughout the rest of the journey, we continuously learn more about each other while experiencing the wild and beautiful Arctic landscape. We get to see it all, from Øksfjord to Sandland, to Spildra and the raw Kvænangstindan, and onwards to Northern Lyngen for two final days of ski touring before embarking on the last leg of the journey towards Tromsø.

Along the way, we dive into the technicalities of sailing and how to maneuver through conditions that range from the quiet sanctuary of a fjord arm to the uproar of a peninsula's northern tip.  

We learn about the human connection, how it’s all about the dynamics on board, and that the journey's success hinges on the chemistry among the crew and the skills of the skipper and guide. 

And we learn that to get the most out of a trip like this, you should come prepared, not just physically and mentally, but also by bringing the right clothing and gear. 

To help along, the experienced sailors of SeilNorge have put together the following guide on how to pack successfully for a ski & sail trip.

In Northern Norway, you need to prepare for all different types of weather (in any season), as they may all appear, often on the same day. This is part of the charm. It is wild and raw in all manners, especially with regards to the weather. The temperature mostly depends on the direction of the wind: Northerly winds from the polar regions are usually cold and semi-humid, the easterly winds are dry and cold, while the westerly and southwesterly winds from the ocean are warmer but can carry more humidity, often as rain.

A rule of thumb when packing for Ski & Sail is to try to pack items that you can use for both activities: sailing and skiing. You can wear the ski jacket when you sail, and the same goes for midlayers, base layers, gloves, and mittens.

Pack skis in a ski bag, boots in a boot bag/bag for storage on board, and easy and safe transportation to the shore in the dinghy. When you go in the dinghy between the mother vessel and land, you use rubber boots to avoid getting wet. You then change to ski boots on the beach. So, bring waterproof boots (as tall as possible). 

• Pack like a sailor: in a bag or backpack, not in a rigid suitcase

• Pack as little as possible, but bring what you need

• The fewer items you bring, the faster you sail and the less time you spend fooling around with your gear.