After another delicious day at sea on July 12th, the Silver Cloud made two ports-of-call: the first, at 8 AM anchored off Hellesylt, and the second at 12:30 PM anchored off Geiranger. The two small villages are only 13 nautical miles from one another, both lying on adjacent fjords. Hellesylt is on  Sunnylvsfjord, a branch of Storfjord or “Great Fjord”, and  Geiranger is on another branch of the same fjord, Geirangerfjord, nearby. What is interesting about the village of  Helleysylt, is that it is under constant threat of destruction from the collapse of Mount Akerneset, which is expected to erode into Sunnylvsfjord. This imminent danger will cause a tsunami which would certainly destroy much of downtown Helleysylt. Nonetheless, it is a very popular tourist site that attracts hikers, mountaineers and campers to the area. Geiranger is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the world, and has been named the best travel destination in Scandinavia by Lonely Planet. Since 2005, Geirangerfjord has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Should Mount Akerneset erode into the fjord, its downtown would also be destroyed. However, the town itself, its residents and the charming Octagonal Church, which sit high on the mountainside, would most likely remain standing. Therefore, all would not be lost. Henry and I made our way from the Silver Cloud to the dock in the harbor of Geiranger by tender, after we had enjoyed lunch onboard. We used the opportunity to climb the mountain to see the church as a nice way to get some exercise. And, since another cruise ship had arrived in this deep fjiord (one of the 140 which sail here during the summer months), we risked ending up on the wrong tender. It’s a good thing we didn’t end up on the wrong ship!

PHOTOS: Left Column: 1.The Silver Cloud anchored in Geirangerfjord. 2. A white frittilaria flower in bloom in Geiranger. 3. White hydrangea vines growing over the stone walls on the mountain road of Geiranger. 4. Ferns growing between the stones on the walls in Geiranger. Center, Top: View over the rooftops in the town of Geiranger. Center, Bottom:  Sod roof with flowers on a cluster of buildings in downtown Geiranger. Right Column: 1. Geirangerfjord. 2. View of the Seven Sisters Waterfall, just west of Geiranger, spilling down the mountain toward the fjord.

JOURDAN ARPELLE-ZIEGLER                                        BACK TO MAP  PAGE