Midsummer's Night Paddle

It has not been dark in Trondheim for weeks now, with only a few hours of twilight between sunset and sunrise, and a high-pressure system sitting over the Nordic countries has kept the skies clear of clouds and the mercury rising.

Yesterday, 20/06, was the summer solstice - the longest day of the year - and I spent much of the day outside, sweltering in 30'C heat, as I worked on a new paddle. To cool down from the heat of the day, and to celebrate the solstice, I planned to go for a late-evening paddle on the fjord, and suggested that others from the club might want to join on the water at 10 pm, and enjoy the sunset from the water. It was a lovely night, with a gentle easterly breeze, and very calm waters. The relative coolness of the sea also provided a nice relief to the heat of the air, meaning that at 10 pm it was a very comfortable temperature to be out in our boats. The three of us had a very pleasant paddle - from Østmarkneset to Grillstad, then back into the sunset, with the colours bouncing back on the water.

Back at Østmarkneset, I decided it was far too nice a night to stop so soon (11 pm), so I continued on on my own. It was a blissful paddle, gliding over the glistening golden ocean, watching the glorious sunset colours in the sky and fjord. I paddled to Pirbadet before turning back and arriving at Korsvika shortly before midnight. There were many groups celebrating the light, with several different cultures embracing the night in their own style: Norwegians, Swedes, Spaniards, Italians, French and probably more. I sat in my kayak and chatted to a couple of friends who were on the shore (declining a very tempting offer of a beer, as I still had some kayaking to do).

After the peak of festivities at 00:00 I continued along the fjord, and could not bring myself to stop when I passed Østmarkneset, and got to the far side of Ringvebukta before finally turning back and coming to land shortly after 1 am, minutes before the sun was at it's lowest point. By the time I was cycling home (still in full kayak gear, and with a paddle in tow), it was already getting lighter again.

I enjoyed seeing so many people out on the shore enjoying the glorious weather, but while out kayaking, I was disappointed to find so much litter floating on the fjord. By the time I came to land, I had collected: a beer bottle, some polystyrene foam, an unused straw, a kids spade, a plastic bag, a bundle of duct tape, a box of wine (empty), a plastic bottle, several scraps of cardboard, a lighter, a pair of boxers, a snus box, a solstice wreath, half a lemon, a foam sit-mat and a towel. It should be a reminder to us all to make sure that we make sure to properly dispose of all our litter, and for us kayakers, that we can make a difference by collecting as we paddle. It was heartening to get praise from those on shore when they saw me collecting some floating items, and I was also able to help one girl who was trying her best to retrieve a carton that she had let drift out, without getting her dress wet. While frustrating that this litter picking was needed, it did nothing to detract from a wonderful night on the fjord.