Month: November 2017

Distance steamed from Stavanger: 620 NM
In the early hours of the morning SBB was rung and Aurora altered to the north to board the Southampton Pilot at the Nab Tower to the east of the Isle of Wight. Once safely on board the Pilot then assisted the Bridge team with navigating the vessel through the Southampton approaches,  passing first the St. Helen’s anchorage. Heading westerly, Aurora followed the northern coast of the Isle of Wight and just after Cowes began her first turn, to starboard, at Brambles Bank. Shortly afterwards the second turn, this time to port, at Calshot brought Aurora onto a heading passing Fawley Oil Terminal to port. Once abeam of Dock Head the Captain took the Conn and slowed the vessel to approach the berth starboard side to the quay at Mayflower Terminal, ending her Northern Lights cruise.

Aurora’s overall distance steamed for Norway Cruise R720P: 3297 nautical miles.

Noon position: 53° 51‘N 003° 10’E
Distance steamed since departure Stavanger: 329 NM
Weather: Rain showers moderate vis at times
Temperature: 12°C
Wind: South westerly, Force 5/6
Sea state: Slight seas and short moderate swell

Aurora steamed southwards throughout the morning passing Dogger Bank to starboard around 11.00am. She then entered the routeing schemes to guide her through the production platforms of the North Sea coming abeam of Great Yarmouth around 3.30pm. Aurora continued navigating in the TSS passing the port of Dover around 9.00pm before altering to the west and making her approaches towards the Isle of Wight.

Distance steamed from Alta: 941 NM
Weather: Dry, good visibility, 6/8ths cloud
Temperature: 4°C
Wind: Variable, Light airs

As Aurora neared land passing the island of Utsira to port, she altered more to the east and passed south of Karmoy, before slowing down to embark her local Pilot at Skudenfjord pilot boarding ground. Then, taking a large turn to starboard and rounding the island of Kvitsoy, the vessel was brought on to a southerly heading entering the Kvitsoyfjorden.

Aurora entered the port, the Captain swung the bow to port until the vessel was lined up with the berth, then came astern on the engines and began thrusting onto the berth. With the vessel safely alongside Strandkaien, clearance was granted by the local authorities and guests were then free to explore the city of Stavanger.

After a bright and sunny day, Aurora’s guests and crew made their way back on board and the Bridge team made the ship ready for departure. The Captain took the Conn, thrust Aurora off her berth and then came ahead on the engines out into fjord water. Once through the Skudenesfjorden following reciprocal tracks out, Aurora took a large turn to port passing between the mainland and the island of Alstein. Once again heading southwards she approached the Feistein Pilot ground and disembarked her Pilot.

Once clear of the islands and shallows, a south south westerly course was set and Aurora proceeded towards her home port of Southampton.

Noon position: 64° 21.9‘N 007° 03.2’E
Distance steamed since departure Alta: 584 NM
Weather: Dry, good visibility, 4/8ths cloud
Temperature: 6°C
Wind: Easterly backing westerly, Force 5
Sea state: Slight seas and short moderate swell

Aurora left the Arctic Circle at around 3.45 am and continued on her south westerly heading throughout the day through the Norwegian Sea.

Around 8.00pm Aurora altered to the south entering the North Sea. Passing the oil fields and rigs to starboard she continued south using the traffic lanes until around 2.00am she altered to the south east to make her approaches towards the coast.

Noon position: 70° 16.0‘N 018° 25.3’E
Distance steamed since departure Alta: 144 NM
Weather: Dry, good visibility, 4/8ths cloud
Temperature: 3°C
Wind: South easterly, Force 5
Sea state: Slight seas and short moderate swell

Following extended departure checks due to her prolonged stay alongside and with all guests and crew back on board, Aurora was given clearance to sail at 2.40am.

The Deputy Captain gave the order to let go the lines and thrust Aurora off the berth to starboard. Once a a safe distance he then swung the bow to starboard to bring Aurora on to a more north westerly heading Once abeam of Amtmannsnes light, the pilot took the Conn and set courses back out of the fjord.

By 6.00am Aurora was clear of the fjord and rounding the top of the uninhabited island of Silda. She then altered to the south west to make tracks for the Pilot station at Fugloy. At 8.20am the pilot ladder was rigged on the port side and the local Pilot disembarked.

Aurora then made her way northwards passing the island of Nordfugloya to port before proceeding outside 4NM from land and altering to the south west once more.

Aurora maintained a south westerly course for the rest of the day keeping the Norwegian islands on he port side. By 10pm Aurora was passing Lofoten itself and continuing south south westwards.

Weather: Dry, good visibility, mostly cloudy
Temperature: -10°C
Wind: Southerly, Force 2

Aurora lay quietly alongside the quay in Alta throughout the day as guests explored the frozen landscape of one of Norway’s most northern inhabited areas.

Distance steamed from Tromso: 118 NM
Weather: Dry, good visibility, partly cloudy
Temperature: -9°C
Wind: South south easterly, Force 3

After an extended stay alongside in Tromso, Aurora’s Bridge and Engine Officers began her departure checks at 2.00am making the ship ready to sail. As she had been moored alongside for more than 12 hours additional checks on the Bridge and Engine equipment were carried out including testing such things as the searchlights and navigational lights and carrying out extended steering gear and telegraph checks.

Shortly after 4.00am all checks were completed and with the permission of the authorities Aurora let go her lines and thrust off the berth to starboard before coming ahead on her engines to make her way back out of the fjord.

With her local Pilot already on board Aurora then sailed into Altafjord passing the island of Stjernoya to port and beginning the 38km long passage. Initially on a south easterly heading Aurora altered to the south passing 2NM to starboard of the island of Aroya before making an alteration to port to   pass north of the islands of Jorban and Skarvskjaert.

As Aurora cleared the sea smoke the runway and berth of Alta port came into view and the Deputy Captain took the Conn from the Pilot to bring Aurora alongside port side to the quay on the Terminalkaien by 1.00pm.

The ship was made fast using a mooring line boat and the gangways were rigged into Deck 4 before clearance from the local authorities was granted and guests were able to proceed ashore.

Distance steamed from Kristiansand: 1011 NM
Weather: Snow, reduced visibility, overcast
Temperature: 2°C
Wind: South south westerly, Force 2

Aurora picked up her local Pilot at Fugloy pilot station at 4.45am and proceeded in to the fjord. At 5.20am, shortly after the Pilot took the Conn of the vessel, Aurora passed the island of Karlsoya to starboard and entered the Ullsfjord proceeding south westwards.

Once abeam of Grotnes Aurora altered more to the west and entered the Grotsundet. At 6.30am she was passing the small island of Nipoya to starboard. Once in a position between Skallen and Hansneset lights she altered to the south and, making her final approaches to the town of Tromso, took a large turn to starboard to berth port side to the quay on Breivika terminal.

The ship was made fast to the quay and the deck 4 gangways rigged. Once the quayside had been inspected and the local authorities had checked the paperwork they granted clearance for the ship at 8.30am meaning guests could proceed ashore.

Noon position: 67° 13.3‘N 010° 44.7’E
Distance steamed since departure Kristiansand:692 NM
Weather: Passing showers, good visibility, 6/8ths cloud
Temperature: 5°C
Wind: Variable, Force 3
Sea state: Slight seas and short moderate to low swell

At 1030am Aurora crossed in to the Arctic Circle headed northwards. By midday she was passing the vast open body of water of Vestfjorden (the West Fjord) which lies between mainland Norway and the Lofoten Islands. Continuing on her north north easterly heading through the Norwegian Sea, Aurora passed the archipelago of the Lofoten Islands to starboard, coming abeam of the isolated islands of Vasroy and Rost by 1.15pm. Aurora passed 21NM to port of the southernmost of the larger islands, Mokenesoy at 3.00pm.

Noon position: 60° 51.3‘N 004° 11.7.’E
Distancesteamed since departure Kristiansand: 268
Weather: Dry, good visibility,overcast
Temperature: 4.5°C
Wind: North westerly, F8/9 reducing F3 later
Sea state: Moderate to rough seas and short moderate swell

Aurora followed the coastline of Norway round to the west and north west after departure before altering to the north around 5.00am and following the routing schemes.

Keeping the snow covered mountains of Norway on her starboard side throughout the day, Aurora was passing the entrance to the Flim fjord (Sognefjorden) around 12.30pm.

By 4.30pm Aurora had altered to the north north-east 22NM off the coast and maintained this heading overnight.