Viking Magazine - January 2021 - 20

Breaks. Each was retired, of Norwegian ancestry
and replied with an enthusiastic " Ya sure, ya
betcha! " when I invited them to be a part of the
" Spirit of Norway " crew.
We met up in Minneapolis in the summer of
2018 and flew to Bergen. Our goal was to paddle
for one month on my two ancestral fjords and
end up at the Nesheim family farm near Granvin,
where my relatives left to come to America over
170 years ago.
We began our journey near Voss, Norway, in
the hamlet of Gudvangen. We rented our gear and
set off for two weeks on the Sognefjord, followed
by another two weeks on the Hardangerfjord. We
rudder is broken " over the roar of wind and
waves. Our journey had just begun.
Kayaks make it possible to paddle into places
that larger vessels can't travel. Our nimble crafts
were able to nose into the spray from multiple
waterfalls, land on beaches to explore remote
areas, and set up our tents for camping. We were
able to quietly sneak up on pods of dark green
dolphins, behold soaring eagles, and play hide and
seek with otters.
Nordic people have a unique understanding
of place. It's called allemansratten, which means
everyone's right or freedom to roam. While
private property does exist in Norway, this general
freedom to roam invited us to camp anywhere
we were drawn to. Norway has many wonderful
hotels, but we chose to " wild camp, " and often
rubbed shoulders with others who wanted to
breathe fresh air and savor places which became
" holy ground. "
The terrain along the Hardangerfjord was
magnificent. The huge mountains were often
carpeted in green. Delighted to see more farms and
orchards on slopes descending to the water's edge,
I could see what my ancestors had left behind in
these beautiful farms perched on rocky hillsides-
and I could appreciate the lure of flat and fertile
farmland in Iowa. As we approached Granvin and
the family farm near Nesheim, I heard my greatgrandfather
Johannes calling. In his voice was the
pain of leaving his dear home in this spectacular
place, and the anticipatory joy for a better future
in America.
The " Spirit of
Norway " crew
was made up
of experienced
paddlers and
friends who all
have Norwegian
heritage. Pictured
from left to right:
Brent Bottomley,
Ellen McDonah,
Jim Lewis and
David Ellingson.
paddled from mid-June to mid-July to avoid the
biggest tourist crowds and to enjoy the plentiful
waterfalls fed by still-melting mountain snowfields.
During our month of paddling, I learned that
home is about place, people and spirit.
HOME AS PLACE
Norway is a place of fierce and spectacular beauty.
It's a beauty that draws you in and begins to shape
you. During our adventure we marveled at the
" 3 Fs " fjord (water), fjell (mountain) and foss
(waterfall).
Paddling the fjords in a 13-foot kayak can be
a harrowing experience. On our first day on the
Nærøyfjord, we paddled in big water with waves
blown by the wind and ricocheting off 2,000-foot
cliffs. My boat began to fill with icy water as I
seemed to lose control and Brent shouted " your
20 VIKING JANUARY 2021
sonsofnorway.com
HOME AS PEOPLE
On my adventures down the Mississippi River and
the Erie Canal and Hudson River, I encountered
people who helped me with shelter, food and
hospitality. I called them river angels. Along our
journey in Norway, we met fjord angels.
As we were about to launch from Gudvangen,
our bodies, gear and spirits were dampened by
fog and rain. We saw two young women coming
to shore on paddle boards as they returned from
a week of camping. When we asked about the
weather, they cheerfully reported, " You will love
it because you are paddling through the clouds. "
What an amazing benediction from the first of
many fjord angels.
In the early going the weather was often
blustery. Ervin, a local guide, warned us about
" willowas, " powerful blasts of wind coming down
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Viking Magazine - January 2021

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