Hello dear friends of HS-Segelreisen,
The 2026 season is now already a thing of the past, and our POLARIS has been safely and securely stored for the winter in Bodø, Norway, for several days now. Before that, we had two of our popular Northern Lights cruises on the programme, which we’d like to tell you a little about here.
After our first guests had arrived the day before and sorted out the necessary provisions, we set off on 30 September. With calm conditions and a brilliant blue sky, we sailed from Bodø across the Vestfjorden to the Lofoten Islands. Our first destination there was the small island of Værøy. The distance was a good 50 nautical miles, which took us around 8 hours, and we moored as darkness began to fall earlier than usual.
We then continued on a north-easterly course. Passing the classic Reine, the ever-enchanting Nusfjord and the impressive twin islands of Henningsvær, we sailed on to Svolvær. The weather became increasingly stormy. This had already been forecast on the weather charts days earlier. Winds in excess of 30 knots and gusts over 40 knots eventually became the norm. But our POLARIS is right in its element in conditions like these. And our guests, too, more than held their own. Despite the bitterly cold temperatures, strong winds and occasional heavy showers, Ilona, Ela, Joachim and Helmut took the oars in hand with steely determination and steered our Garcia safely through the increasingly rough seas. But that’s just the way it is when you’re out and about up here early or late in the year. A very special blend of scenic beauty and untamed forces of nature. And at the very latest when you’re sitting in the cosy, warm saloon in the evening, with the hot-water heating on and a delicious meal simmering on the hob, you realise why you do it all. For what are surely the most beautiful and lasting memories. And then, of course, there are the Northern Lights. They kept peeking out here and there. But because of the often thick clouds, they weren’t quite ready to reveal themselves just yet. That was set to change in the coming days, though.
The wild journey continues through the Raftsund and the Trollfjord. This particularly small and narrow fjord is world-famous, and even though we’ve been here many times before, it’s always a special experience. This time, gusts of over 50 knots were sweeping down from the steep slopes. The numerous waterfalls were particularly powerful due to the previous rain, and the spray often flew horizontally through the narrowest parts of the fjord. A little further north, we then dropped anchor in Raftsund. All on our own and in pitch-black night, we lay here amidst the rugged mountains. When we got out of bed the next morning, the peaks right on our doorstep were topped with white caps for the first time. We could make out the snow line as if drawn with a ruler, and the already spectacular panorama became even more impressive.
Heading north, we now sailed to the northern side of the Lofoten Islands. Once again on a broad reach, we sailed back out into open water along the coast, heading south-west towards Laukvik. We also like to call this place ‘the middle of nowhere’. Here you’ll find a few scattered houses – including a small café, a tiny supermarket and a handful of fishing boats. All around are the high mountains of the northern archipelago.
Via Stamsund, Sorvagen and Kjerringoy, our journey now slowly took us back towards Bodø. We’d never called at the harbour of Sorvagen before, so the surprise was all the more delightful. A charming little harbour with a great atmosphere, a lovely guest jetty and a fantastic fish restaurant just a few minutes’ walk away. Kjerringoy is something of a personal Northern Lights hotspot for us. We’ve never been disappointed here. And this time, too, we could rely on this little village. Under clear skies and with little light pollution, we marvelled at particularly intense Northern Lights, and the cameras clicked non-stop.
Back in Bodo, we celebrated our fantastic trip in style that evening, whilst the skippers were already starting to make preparations for the next voyage. This one was no walk in the park either. Right from the start, we sailed across the Vestfjord once again in strong winds and high waves. We then followed a similar route to before, but this time sailing clockwise – which was simply the better option given the strong winds. In Svolvaer, we even had to spend a day in harbour and ride out the storm. Winds of over 50 knots were forecast. In principle, anything is possible with the POLARIS. But when we’re already in a safe harbour, there’s no real need to take that risk.
As mentioned, the POLARIS is now high and dry. The initial maintenance work has already been completed, and so we’re already looking forward to the new 2027 season. There are still a few places available, and we’d be delighted to welcome you on board. Our personal insider tip: the SNOW & SAIL cruises. Even if you think it’s actually still a bit too early for them, late winter in the Lofoten Islands is a very special time. Snow and ice, a perfectly insulated yacht and good chances of seeing the Northern Lights are just some of the highlights that await you here.
Right then… see you soon.
Best wishes, the HS-Segelreisen team
