• 2019 Nautical Explorations
    A "we are in Grip" selfie — Gripholmen Island, Norway.
    Kristina shows us the family boathouse where, as a kid, she operated a gift shop — Gripholmen IslandThe stave church dates back to between 1470-1500 — Gripholmen Island, Norway.Murals (partially restored) adorn the walls of the stave church — Gripholmen Island, Norway.Original inhabitants of Grip and their descendents now use the houses as summer vacation homes.1The fishermen used these rocks to air-dry their catch — Gripholmen Island, Norway.I love the contrast between the rocks and the colorful houses — Gripholmen Island, Norway.Would anyone care for a dried cod head? — Gripholmen Island, Norway.A delightful weather day for a delightful visit to Grip — Gripholmen Island, Norway.Kittiwake chicks see us off as we depart Grip — Gripholmen Island, Norway.

    Kristiansund: A-Wander in Grip

    July 20, 2019 in Norway ⋅ ⛅ 61 °F

    Grip, which is located on Gripholmen, the largest of the 80+ islands and skerries, was first settled in the 9th century so that fishermen could be close to the best cod fishing grounds. For centuries, it was considered the smallest municipality in Norway. That changed in 1964 when the residents of the island were forced to relocate to the mainland because providing services to the small fishing community became prohibitively expensive.

    The idyllic island, with its colorful buildings, has a stark landscape, with little vegetation except for private gardens. Apparently, the fishermen stripped what vegetation there used to be so as to have plenty of rocks on which to air-dry their catch.

    We had about 1½ hours to wander around delightful Grip. The boat fare included a guided tour, which we took advantage of first, leaving us with about an hour to explore on our own before the boat’s whistle called us back for the return trip to Kristiansund.    Read more