The Plan

OK, let’s get this show on the road. Are you clear on the target? We had decided to head for the Arctic Circle in Norway. Not the North Pole, right? The southern limit of the arctic region is commonly placed at the Arctic Circle (latitude 66 degrees, 33 minutes North). The Arctic Circle is an imaginary line that marks the latitude above which the sun does not set on the day of the summer solstice (usually 21 June) and does not rise on the day of the winter solstice (usually 21 December).

North of this latitude, periods of continuous daylight or night last up to six months at the North Pole but we were not going there, right?

In fact, because of atmospheric refraction and as the sun appears as a disk and not a point, part of the midnight sun may be seen on the night of the summer solstice up to about 90 km south of the Arctic Circle.

To further complicate things, the position of the Arctic Circle is not fixed, but varies over time. This may seem pedantic but I just know there are readers of this Blog who will want precision. The Arctic Circle (and, for those of you planning alternative trips, the Antarctic Circle, the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn) depend on the tilt of the earths axis relative to the plane of its orbit around the sun, known technically as the "obliquity of the ecliptic". As of 2000, the mean value of the tilt was about 23°26′21″. However, this angle is not constant and as the axial tilt varies, so does the position of our circle. The physics is a bit complicated for me but in essence the effect is that the Arctic Circle is drfiting towards the Pole at a rate of about 15 metres a year. I know you will be relieved to know, at the outset, that we have allowed for this and at an early stage fixed our most Northerly point on the town of Bodo so that we would not have to return in a few years to renew our Certs!!

What are you laughing at?? If you Google this subject you will read of those agonising about where EXACTLY to pitch their tents to be sure they stayed on the Circle. You gotta have a plan before you go. Oh look; while I’m at it, I’d best admit that Arctic researchers also define the Arctic as the area north of the northern limit of upright tree growth or indeed as the locations in high latitudes where the average daily summer temperature does not rise above 10 degrees Celsius. I think we met the first definition but certainly not the second. Anyway the Circle is the goal!!

You’d think getting all that sorted would be the difficult step. A niece studying in Norway got us all the Norwegian maps we needed (Thanks S). After that we spent months pouring over maps, shipping schedules and Rough Guides to get us a suitable route. Irish Ferries would get us to and from the Mainland and then from Newcastle (North Shields to be precise) DFDS would get us to Gothenberg in Sweden and back from Kristiansand in Norway. We ordered the Swedish maps from Stanfords in London (Great map shop, by the way http://www.stanfords.co.uk/ ) and worked out in detail a route through Sweden, crossing to Mo I Rana in Norway and then across the Circle to Bodo. Eventually, but really well in advance, we booked the ferry. We had a Plan. Then the Plan started to unravel!!!

DFDS decided not to travel to Sweden. Nor were they coming back from Kristiansand in 07! At least we were good for the UK part of the trip. So back to the drawing board. Forget the trips to see bears and so much else we had read about and pencilled in for for Sweden. Anyone need unused Sweden maps (wonderful detail) and Rough Guide? We reworked the route, now going to Bergen and back from Stavanger. Then work colleagues told us we could not miss the Atlantic Road so we had to factor that in as well. Also we though a glacier might be nice. Could we see whales instead of bears. And a Stave church, whatever that might be. Oh, and do try to get to see Route 17. Weeks later we were back at square 1 with the Plan in place and the ferries rebooked. Then the Plan started to unravel!!!

DFDS decided not to travel on the dates they had originally advertised. Bit of a nuisance this as the revised dates were not as suitable and added a few days to the trip. Our original selections were uanavailable and the hotel we had booked was now booked out. But we can do nothing if not plan so we revised it all again … and took out some insurance just to be sure. The Plan was in place, albeit a bit rumpled. Now it was paid for too. Then the Plan started to unravel!!!

Irish Ferries notified us… in good time… that the fast ferry would not be travelling on our return date. No sweat. Not so much as a single ‘tut’. Roll with the blows. Reorganise. Come back form Dun Laoghaire instead. The Plan was in place, albeit a bit rumpled. Now it was paid for and we had refunds where they were due. Then the plan started to unravel!!!

Irish Ferries notified us… just in time… that the fast ferry would not be travelling on our outward dates. OK, OK….’Tut’. We accepted the alternative offered. Ceded control of the Plan, for now at least.

The 7 June 2007, finally saw a black and a blue Honda motorbike converging on the Point Depot, in Dublin at 07:00 on a lovely bright sunny Irish morning. We’re ready: Lets go. And we were off.........