SUP Norway - Second Stand Up Paddle Expedition in 2019 - 2 of 3

Previously on SUP Norway 2019

...the seed for my second expedition to Norway was sown in my brain...

...it was exactly like my village ride back home, just that this was Scandinavia...

...we were hardly half-way through, but we had seen around 70 waterfalls by then...

Expedition 2 of 3 - 5 Day Expedition

After the rest day at Voss, we geared up for a five-day expedition, the second of the three, where we had the same plan as last year.  Only now, I would understand that sometimes, even the most well-laid plans don’t pan out. Once again, Courtney and I would lead this expedition; Titus would join us on the last day. This time, I learnt a lot about what being an expedition leader really meant.

Day 1 - 27th August, 2019 - Welcome.

Rising early, after a quick breakfast, Kim Foster and I went on a short walk in Gudvangen at around 9 am. We saw the mining site entrance of the mineral anorthosite. Initially I had my misconceptions of it being granite or limestone, even gypsum, but later I learnt that it was anorthosite. It is an intrusive plutonic rock (formed by cooling of volcanic magma). As we kept hiking, we came across beautiful folded formations in the rocks, and then the Bakka tunnel, a UNESCO World heritage site. This tunnel was opened in 2001, and is instrumental in connecting Gudvangen and Bakka during landslides and avalanches. 

What happens is, during landslides, the soil builds up in a cone with rough stones at the bottom and smaller stones upwards. As we walked through the tunnel, we could see beautiful metamorphic rocks, the banded iron formations, the scree etc. As we went ahead, the mist of the waters slowly engulfed us. It was amazing to experience the other side of the fjords than what we would when paddling. Kim and I exchanged stories about the place, geology, life in general, etc. We drank water from a spring, and then we saw the first ferry that carried anorthosite. We reached Bakka at around 10:30 am. 

In anorthosite, there is a large quantity of aluminum. So, the mining company uses a special process to extract it, as it is not that easy compared to extracting it from bauxite that is predominantly found in India. Anorthosite is used for stone-wool insulation. Stone wool insulation is created by spinning molten rock and minerals with steel slag to create a cotton-candy-like wool product. It creates an incredibly effective insulation with sound-absorbing and fire-resistant properties. The mining companies are required to follow all environmental protection laws to the T, and so the entire process did not create any noise pollution even though we paddled by the factory. Also, an abandoned mining site was converted into a cave.

Gudvangen indeed is a geologist’s paradise.

We reached the camp at 11:30 am, and by the evening, the 11 team members started coming in one-by-one, and we started the welcome party. The same rituals of barbecue-champagne-bonfire but with different people. Kim stayed back, and along with Courtney, we became the three musketeers. We arranged the tents and other camping gear, and made preparations for the next day. I finally rested in my shepherd dog tent after ensuring everything was in order. 

Expedition Lead Rule 1: Keep everything ready.

Day 2: 28th August, 2019 Odnes (9 Km)

We started at 10 am after breakfast and coffee, kneeling on our SUP boards until the first 300 meters. A former veteran in our team paddled sitting down, as it was the most comfortable position for him. The air was nippy but the skies were clear. As we reached Bakka, we could see that the range was very cliff-y, and so there wasn’t much of a chance for dense forests to grow here. However, there were many little pockets of forests alongside the hills created by the scree. The scree would create its own brand of soil with all the rock fragment deposits and water, thus creating a community of its own. It was nice to look at the scree with my own eyes without the medium of a geology book.

Until now, the fjords to me were a geographical spectacle, but now as I read stories of the oldest church marriages there, I could draw the strings between geography and history - what it was and where it is. The people of Scandinavia have done a commendable job of preserving history as is, enhancing it just so much that the appeal is increased but not so much that the originality is compromised.

Once we reached the Odnes camp at 3:30 pm, Kim led the team to the 360 degree waterfall while Courtney and I scouted and prepared the camp, and I took photos of Courtney’s yoga poses. At around 7 pm, we all gathered around a bonfire, shared stories and laughs, and rested for the day.

Day 3: 29th August, 2019 - Wild Camping (15 Km)

I woke up around 6:10 am to an amazing view of the fjords. We took photos against the beautiful backdrop. By 9 am, there was a mild drizzle, and we launched with rain jackets on. The fjord waters reflected the dark skies and looked ominous. It was as if we were going into a cave in Middle Earth, with rain clouds above us, darkness ahead of us, and the sound of waterfalls around us.

At around 1 am, we reached the tri-junction of the fjords, it started raining. The waters were getting choppy. Also, the waves created by the cruise ships going towards Flam were huge and were strong enough to break our SUP boards if not maneuvered properly. Between the constant rain and incoming waves on the rocky terrain, we had a very short window where we carried the boats one by one. Courtney and I maintained constant eye contact, and we communicated in body language, like Raju and Bhima would in the movie RRR. Once we landed at Laegdofjellet near Åsen, we quickly selected the camp spot and settled the team. We absolutely had to work as a synchronized team, and we did. 

We had a good lunch, and the weather cleared for a bit. We took some pictures, and were relaxing in the camp. That’s when a huge cruise ship came. I decided it was time to play. I raced towards the cruise, wanting to go toe-to-toe with it. The cruise created waves 4 to 5 feet tall, and I paddled perpendicular to it. The people in the cruise would have had a good distraction. I raced the cruise until it sailed away. This was just to add some flavour, some energy, and also a teaching moment that one can have fun but must be well prepared for it.

After dinner, we rested for the night. I experienced some chafing in the inside of my thighs, which made me a little uncomfortable. Also, I had a little extra beer and a little less water due to the cold weather. Little did I know, the slow dehydration was something which would come to bite me later. 

Day 4: 30th August, 2019 Aurlandsfjord to Undredal (12 Km) 

We woke up around 6 am to the rain-laden clouds and a continuous drizzle. Everyone was a little tired with the wild camping at Laegdofjellet, and we had challenges in attending to Nature’s call; the waters were too cold and the rocks were slippery. After breakfast, we started towards Undredal. The winds descended from the hills and the valley currents were totally different in each of the fjords, and not many in the team were seasoned enough to paddle against cross-waves.

Halfway through, when we were 6 kilometers in at Åtnes, we came to the Undredal village on the right. The waters were choppy, waves were as high as 3 to 4 feet, and the winds pushed us against the cliffs. Our cameras were safely inside our gear as no one could even think of anything but surviving the storm. Unable to overcome the strong winds and the rain, one of our team members fell into the water. Instinctively, I started towing her. On a fine day, it would not have been that hard, but this time It wasn’t really easy, as the weather was not conducive at all. We struggled for about an hour when a person from Undredal village came to our rescue with a boat, and took her to Undredal. We stayed at Undredal for the night. The rain had not abated.

Expedition Lead Rule 2: Although we lead the team, the team comes before us, always. 

Day 5: 31th August, 2019 (16 Km) Undredal

The next day when I woke up, I found a case of beer outside my tent. It was from my team member whom I helped rescue, a very sweet gesture indeed. The weather was not conducive to paddle to Odnes, so we stayed back at Undredal. The expedition was modified due to the contingency plan due to the bad weather.

Expedition Lead Rule 3: Things always change, keep alternative plans ready from B to Z if needed. 

We had a breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast, and decided to go on a hike. The trail had the most beautiful waterfalls, and we bonded very closely with each other; most of us are still in touch even today. Leeches. Leeches everywhere. We had a great time enjoying the goat cheese, pizza, cold cuts, and beer in the rain. We went to the Undredal Stave Church, where people played musical instruments for us. We saw the goats deftly balancing themselves on the rocks, putting even the most seasoned trekkers to shame. Titus joined us for dinner, and we rested for the night.

Day 5: 1st September, 2019

We woke up to a relaxed day and had breakfast and coffee. At around 8 am, Titus, Kim and I loaded the car with the gear. and parted ways to Gudvangen camp. Courtney and the others departed from Undredal itself. As I was travelling back by car, we crossed a huge tunnel. It was good seeing the places from a top-down perspective as opposed to the bottom-up perspective we would have when paddling. Back in the camp, Titus’s brother was there. He had a PhD in Chemistry, and was an amazing person. Once again, I made my special tomato chutney with rice. We had a small window of sunshine to dry our gear, but it was not enough as the winds and rain brought in a lot of humidity. Kim was set to leave that day, so after breakfast I accompanied him to the bus, like how we bid farewell to good old friends back home.

Expedition 2 of 3, done, 1 more to go!