Call of the North

Hyperion, the 47m / 156ft sloop launched by Royal Huisman in 1998 headed north to Scandinavia; the yacht’s team has even produced a dedicated brochure with suggested itineraries for her charter guests extolling the attractions of Norway. Stretching from Tananger and Stavanger south of the city of Bergen, all the way up to Trondheim and beyond, the Norwegian coast has a unique geographical make-up. With its outer fringes of sheltering islands, the dramatic scenery consists of a series of large sounds and deep-water fjords flanked by imposing mountains. Formed millions of years ago by the action of glaciers that cut deep into the landscape, some of the waterways penetrate for miles inland, creating some of the most spectacular natural scenery in the world. Her captain Daniel Rawlins is a keen photographer and captured the images and left of some of the highlights of Hyperion’s summer cruise along the Norwegian coastline.

NORTHERN TRIVIA

• The coastline of Norway, including fjords and bays, stretches over 29,000 kilometres / 18020 miles. 
• 66% of Sweden’s energy comes from renewable resources and less than 1% of its waste ends up on a rubbish dump. 
• Virtually all of Finland lies north of 60°N and about one-third of its land area is above the Arctic Circle. 
• The Jostedalsbreen glacier in Norway is the largest glacier in mainland Europe. 
• The zipper, marine propeller, refrigerator, and pacemaker are all Swedish inventions. 
• There are 187,888 lakes (larger than 500sqm / 5382sqft) and around 179,000 islands within the territory of Finland. 
• Norway has regularly been rated among most peaceful countries in the world by the Global Peace Index. 
• There are around 3 million saunas in Finland: 1 for every 2 people. 
• The Stockholm archipelago, the second largest in the Baltic after Finland, comprises about 30,000 islands, islets and skerries. 
• Contrary to popular opinion, Swedish Vikings did not have horns on their helmets. 
• By area, Norway is among Europe’s ten largest countries, yet only about 28th by population. 
• The world’s longest road tunnel: the Lærdal Tunnel runs 24.5km / 15mi between Aurland and Lærdal — an engineering icon many visitors cross en route to the fjords.
• Why many fjords stay ice-free: the warm Norwegian Current flows along the coast, moderating climate and keeping key sailing routes open year-round.
• Midnight Sun playbook: at the North Cape, the sun stays up roughly from 14 May to 29 July — 77 days of daylight cruising.
• Wind & sun powerhouse: in 2023, Denmark met 64% of its electricity demand with wind and solar, which is a global benchmark for variable renewables.
• EV world leader: in 2024, 88.9% of Norway’s new-car market was fully electric.
• Norway has adopted zero-emission requirements for passenger vessels in its World Heritage fjords. Below 10,000 GT from 1 January 2026 and from 2032 for 10,000 GT and above.

ZERO-EMISSION READY? 

‘HUISFIT by Royal Huisman’ offers a wide range of ‘green conversions into hybrid’ to offer the potential of navigation in zero emission zones: link (opens new tab)

A stopover in amsterdam? 

Amsterdam is an excellent choice for a short stopover (and can be combined with support from HUISFIT by Royal Huisman, if needed). Additionally, a refit by HUISFIT in the Netherlands offers an appealing new option for your cruising schedule. More information and various cruises can be found at huisfit.com: link (opens new tab)