Buddy Boating - friends and new friends

Bacchus sails into Svolvaer

Guro - captain of Bacchus

We recently spent 5 days “buddy” boating with a group of friends we’ve met through Rune and Opportune. We rarely seem to indulge in this pleasure as we’ve  tended to travel a little further and faster than the boats we’ve met. It was so nice being able to have friends here in Norway. We went out for dinner together, were invited to their boats and invited them over. Here are a few pictures and words gleaned from what we learned about them.

Skippers, Crews:

Trav III, Opportune & Bacchus at the dock

Bacchus: 

Skippered by Guro – she fell in love with sailing after an Atlantic crossing on Opportune. She'd been living in Alta for some years when she decided to buy and live on her own boat. Her specialty is Media Studies … she’s worked teaching, as a journalist, as a photographer (for Norwegian TV) and speaks Norwegian, French and English. As crew she brought along the very experienced Lene. Lene and her cousin Cecilie did an Atlantic circuit together – two women alone – some years ago. Guro’s other crew – the exuberant Tonje – had NEVER been on a boat until the day before we met her at Gullvika.

Jackie, Lene, Cecilie, Kjetil, Tonje

Opportune: You’ve heard about her and skipper Rune ( see previous blogs)–  As crew he had Kjetil -  a skier, rock climber and adventurer who earns a living in a supervisory capacity checking oil rig safety. Kjetil had joined Opportune in New Zealand during their Round-the-World cruise. We talked about about the Canadian ski movie “All I Can” – every Canadian and skier should see this movie – produced, edited and filmed by the Sherpa gang hailing from Calgary.

 Cecilie was able to take a week off from her job in the construction industry to join  up with us and Opportune – also seeing her cousin Lene (skipping out for a few days from her work as a government prosecutor). Jackie beautifully rounded out the crew of Opportune … she’s a fellow Canadian on a brief respite from her job in the medical industry in  HOT Brampton Ontario. She was quickly learning the way of boats from the other Opportunes.  Both Tonje and Kjetil favoured us with their piano stylings while they were aboard Traversay.

We've been back on the mainland for two days now. Traversay has seemed a little lonely without these attractive and fun younger people around.