Lofoten.com is with “Gamle Helgeland” on an expedition to Lofoten, and has with him a crew consisting of boat and fishing enthusiasts. The weather is great in the area, and the cod willingly bites away. There is an adventurous atmosphere on board, and hectic activity on the foredeck. This weekend, this year’s “World Championships in cod fishing” will take place for the 25th time. time, and the run-up to the championship is in full swing.
Good haill
On Sunday evening, the ship threw away the ropes in Sandnessjøen, and on Monday morning she was ready to compete just outside Svolvær. With blue skies, breezes, scorching sun and lots of boats as a baking blanket, Lofoten shows itself from its best side, after one of the worst stormy winters in living memory. And there’s no time to lose.
Captain Geir Bjørnsvik on the “Old Helgeland” sets course for the fishing grounds at Skrova, and at a depth of 50 meters we see fish on the echo sounder. A lot of fish. After just a few minutes, the first cod bites, and Sigurd Myrvang is the lucky one. A short fight follows, then the cod has come over the scratch, to cheers and applause from the rest of the gang. – You obviously have a good haill, shouts as the beautiful cod is backed over the grouse.
Squirrels and Swedish jigs
With good help and a skilled hand, the fish is beaten into the rinsing tank, bled and gutted.
– I was then betterde’ heit puin’ huvo, he laughs and grins, so that even any American movie star would have died on the spot from pure envy. Myrvang is retired, but worked most of his working life in Helgelandske Dampskipsselskap. He has also visited “Old Helgeland”
“But I actually fished for a year before that,” he says, wiping his grin with bloody knitted yarn mittens.
– It’s the mittens that are the trick. And homemade Swedish jig,” he laughs in response to the shouts about haill.
The fish dinner salvaged
Shortly afterwards, Herøyfjæring and sailor Odd Edvardsen on the “Old Helgeland” follow up with a great cod. He has worked 30 years on the Hurtigruten, but has never fished for cod before. Steward Ole Martin Pedersen from Sandnessjøen already proclaimed at breakfast that he needed fish for today’s dinner meal. The responsibility has obviously rested heavily on the fishermen’s shoulders, and the water-filled tank on the foredeck is filled up with fat, fine fish. No one needs to lie down on an empty stomach tonight!
– We have 16 people on board, eight are crew and eight are paying guests. We expect to be here until Sunday, and will bring the World Championships in cod fishing. There will be more travelers from far away on board this weekend. In addition, we will bring any guests who may show up on the quayside,” says helmsman Asbjørn Brunsvik.
Text and Photo: Rune Kr. Ellingsen
