Intrepid Travels

A small significant date has passed - we left Perth one month ago. It is wonderful to sleep in on Intrepid Elk but we had to leave Mandal at 6am to catch wind to take us around Lindesnes. This is southern Norway's notorious headland, with its oldest lighthouse and a fearsome reputation. Being the headland exposed to North Atlantic and North Sea storms, the weather can change suddenly. We were more than a little nervous as we passed, but the tension eased as we saw it would be kind to us.
The coastal landscape has been mostly low-lying since Oslo. Now small mountains were rising, many with wind turbines as we started to head up the west coast.
After 8 hours of motoring and sailing we entered a small fjord leading to the pretty fishing village of Kirkehamn. The signage was minimal to say the least and we tied up at an old ice works that had been converted into a very cozy restaurant. The elderly patrons were startled to see these strange visitors. The magic of this place we stumbled upon soon became apparent, with its traditional wooden houses, spring flowers and singing birds. We visited Flekkefjord, a regional town one hour away on a bus and ferry. It was a beautiful town with an old Dutch quarter. The houses are a traditional whitewashed weatherboard style and many are hundreds of years old.