Across the Oslofjord

Frederikstad proved interesting, not much of a tourist attraction but a fine spot to clear customs. We arrived around 4 p.m. on Sunday. Docking was tricky given the strong current. We oriented ourselves at a visitor’s center located on the river, surprised to find it open late on a Sunday afternoon.

We arrived around 4 p.m. on Sunday and found some dock space near downtown. Docking was particularly tricky given the strong current, but we managed. We oriented ourselves at a visitor’s center, which we found on our walk along the river. Surprisingly, it was open late Sunday afternoon. Dinner was chicken marsala over rice and salad, again washed down with Pripps.

Our day in town started bright and early Monday morning. Clearing customs was a cinch. The hardest part was finding the place. It was tucked away behind the football stadium, which was surrounded by construction debris and equipment. Once informed we were just passing through, the Norwegian customs official stamped our paperwork without a single question. We proceeded to the post office to mail the paperwork back to HR.

We spent the rest of the day shopping. First on the list was yarn. Jocelyn had finished a lovely little cable knit baby sweater and was not emotionally prepared to tackle John’s Fair Isle sweater, so the new yarn was reserved for mindless sock knitting.

Next was the computer store to buy a 3G USB modem. Since we haven’t mastered receiving SSB Weatherfax transmissions, the Internet is our only source of weather information. Purchasing the modem is a must, even if it is only good in Norway. The unit and first 50 hours of service cost around $200.

The remaining stops included stores for marine supplies, drugs, hardware, sporting goods, fishing tackle, and groceries where we purchased everything from sun screen to a Svenske Pilks, which is a special Norwegian lure guaranteed to catch fish. Jocelyn’s cell phone doubles as a step counter, and by the end of the day we registered 18,000 steps.

We took our anniversary supper on the deck of a delightful restaurant overlooking the river. Jocelyn enjoyed duck while I experimented with a traditional Norwegian dish of ham and potatoes.

Tuesday morning, it was time to get moving. We bought some diesel at the marina gas station and waited for the 9 a.m. opening of the town’s drawbridge. Once through, we rode the current to the outer harbor and into the Oslofjord. The winds were light from the southeast. We motor sailed most the way across the Oslofjord, dodging some large tankers as we crossed the shipping lane.

Finally across, we steered for a protected anchorage at Tallakshavn just south of Tonsburg. Anchoring went much more smoothly than Mother-in-Law Cove. (We’re getting better!) After a spot of tea, we launched the dinghy and toured the cove. Then we landed on a sandy beach to stretch our legs.

Our walk took us to a beautiful secluded beach. After taking it in, we went for a dip. The water here is nowhere near as cold as in Sweden, dare I say almost warm? After dinghying back to the boat, I swam some more, diving to inspect the anchor, which was well set.

Dinner was “pizza salad,” a sort of Swedish cole slaw, and spaghetti with tomato sauce.