River kayaking

After the rafting expedition on the Franklin river we were keen to learn more about rivers and river kayaking techniques, and based on recommendation of our rafting guides on the Franklin we decided to do a 2-days beginner's course with the kajakksenter in Heidal, in Jotunheimen. Our excellent teachers Annette and Simon managed to teach a group of 7 beginners some of the basic river kayaking techniques in a very fun atmosphere. And on the day after the course, the rafting guides from the Franklin took us on a great trip on the Sjoa river with rubber duckies, more stable inflatable kayaks which we still managed to flip once or twice. They also taught us a bit about how to read a river and plan your course, and got us to swim through a hole and self rescue so we are a bit more confident about what we can do and shouldn't do on a river. Thanks guys!

Kayaking course (photo Annett Sjursheim)

Kayaking course (photo Annett Sjursheim)

Sjoa river

Kvitskriuprestene. Eroding moraine material where large rocks, temporarily, protect the material below from erosion.

Stave church in Heidal

Since we were now so close to the highest mountain in Norway, Galdhøpiggen, we had an extra day to climb this mountain before travelling back to Trondheim and on to Tromsø. We camped at Spiterstulen and started the walk around 3 pm so we were the last ones on the top and only got back to camp late at night. Nice these long and light summer nights! Beautiful views from the top.

Start of the walk to Galdhøpiggen at Spiterstulen

Good views

The café (!) at the top

View from the top

Fieldwork

The fieldwork season starts as soon as the snow melts in May or June. Most of the fieldwork I do is around the coast, where there is generally good exposure.

Student excursion on Vannøya

Looking at Håja, which has a gentle slope to the east and steep cliffs on the west

Crossbedding in metamorphosed sandstone

A steep gully in the mountain outlining a fault zone

Geologist in action

Tromsdalstinden

At the end of May, the summer route up Tromsdalstinden looked snow free and Saturday 29 May was forecasted to be the last warm and sunny day for a while, so we decided to head up there. We cycled up Tromsdalen until the turn off for the summer route and started walking from there. Quite a few others had the same idea and we met about 20 people coming down when we were walking up, but we had the top mostly for ourselves. A great day to be out here, and the view from the top was excellent as always. 

The weather forecast was right for a change, 3 days later it snowed down to 300 m.

Morning tea break with Tromsdalstinden in the background

Half way up, view back to Tromsø

Still lots of snow on the winter route

On the top

On the way down

Last skiing in May

A bit late, but here are some photos from the last skiing trips in the first half of May. A day trip from our house up Kjølen, the mountain behind our house, on a beautiful spring day.

Great view towards Ersfjorden


Store Blåmann


Looking south of Tromsø

And a long weekend in Abisko, Sweden, in the middle of May. Here we skied in the ski area at Riksgränsen for 2 days, practising our Telemark turns. It was also the weekend of the ice break-up on most of the major rivers, a very impressive sight with large blocks of ice being pushed up on the banks (and on the roads) by some very wild rivers. The sudden break-up did cause flooding and road closures throughout Troms.

This river near Abisko just broke up


Shattered river ice


Landscape around Abisko


Riksgränsen

Australia #5 - Adelaide: McLaren Vale

McLaren Vale is one of Australia's well known wine regions and it is right next to Aldinga Beach where we were staying. A nice way of exploring this region is by bicycle, the distances are not too great, many vineyards have wine tastings and there is an abundance of good cafés and restaurants.

Looking out over Onkaparinga river national park from Samuels Gorge vineyard

Chapel Hill Wines vineyard

Wine tasting at Samuels Gorge vineyard

Wine making

Australia #4 - Melbourne/Adelaide

After the rafting expedition we had a relaxing 2 weeks in mostly warm and sunny weather: a few days with good food and art galleries in Melbourne and about 10 days at Tony's parents south of Adelaide. Long walks along the beach and cliffs and cycle rides through the local McLaren Vale wine region with wine tasting.

Smoke in the air gives a pink sunset on a Melbourne beach

Melbourne centre

Nice to see Australian wildlife again: rainbow lorikeets in Glenelg (Adelaide)

Glenelg

St Francis Xavier cathedral in Adelaide centre

Pelican

Looking south from Port Willunga

Caves dug out by fishermen to store their boats

Remnants of the old jetty, from the time that Port Willunga was still a fishing village

Aldinga reef aquatic reserve: at low tides it is possible to walk out on the intertidal limestone platform to the edge of the reef, a protected area rich in marine wildlife.

Coral

Black-faced cormorant

Coloured cliffs above Maslin Beach