Svartisens shrinking glacier.

After using the lay-by that we were (maybe) not supposed to be in, and catching a big fish I was in good spirits today. We had chatted and had already decided that if the weather was good we would take the boat over the fjord and walk up to the glacier as we had done in 2019. Its a fine walk and the boys would remember more of it if we took them again. Also, I love a boat trip and a trip to see a glacier brings back memories of my alpine climbing days....which...are hopefully not over.

Were ready to go at 9:30 and the boat was just leaving with the first group of passengers, it was not long before it returned and ferried us over the Holandsfjord to Engen where we hopped off and started our walk up to the glacier. The weather was good, and although the boats were quite busy once everyone was off and dispersed it never felt busy. The walk went much faster than in 2019 which was just aswell, as with all glaciers around the world the walk to reach this one is now much longer. Its receded noticeably in the last 4 years. We did not climb right to the glacier in 2019 as the boys were on 3 and 4 years old but this year we did. It's a relatively easy walk as the huge boilerplate slabs that the path follows are generally at an easy angle. 

We took some photos and moved back from the ice, there are some big towers that don't look the most stable so keeping a safe distance is a good option. Glaciers are impressive...far bigger than they look from a distance. Joyce was saddened a bit to see the glacier had shrunk, I am too. Its  reduced by about 100 meters legnth in 4 years....its the volume of ice lost that is more telling than the legnth however. Global warming is happening and in my opinion cannot be halted, now, whether we or how much we humans are influencing/driving it is open to debate, I am certain we are but how much would it be rising regardless of our actions.  We probably cannot even slow it down. I have driven all this distance to take a holiday and visit friends. My boys have more plastic crap toys than I care to mention, some of their friends have far more. Nothing is made to last. We still fly more than we probably should......but why should we not, very few people are changing their habits drastically enough to make a single bit of a difference. Personally we mostly do what we can, we could do more.....should I just show my sons a glacier on the TV, should we stay at home and holiday in our own country, should I no longer go my ski holiday, should I sell my car....no....at this stage no....until there is a ground swell change in the majority of peoples and governments actions then I too am not prepared to change. Anyway...rant over.

The walk was good. Joyce and the boys all managed very easily. We grabbed a coffee at the hotel type building thats near the glacier. Callum and Logan wasted yet another plastic bottle...though I did force them to share rather than have a bottle of Sprite each. See...there I go again.

We wandered back and waited for the boat and were soon back at the van, Reipa was our destination tonight. Close to Dag and Eirins. We got Bessie on the move...stopped for a short cast of the lures further up the fjord, Callum caught another cod. We are now in the campsite. The beer battered cod was cooked, devoured and declared delicious. The boys are all bedded and once this blogs completed I will sleep too...tomorrow we will see our friends who were the catalyst to getting us back into this stunning area of Norway that we love so much. Tomorrow will be another great day I am sure!!