Close to the horizon

To visit an island means to border yourself. There are places of magic where your line vision both expands towards the horizon and shrinks to the small piece of land you cannot leave until the next ferry departs.

This summer we departed for Træna, a small archipelago at the edge of the horizon outside the coast of Norway. Most of the islands are flat, barely reaching above the Atlantic surface. But a few have peaks that touch the sky. When you approach Træna (in good weather) you can see the jagged silhouette of Sanna, and right in front Husøya (the island of houses). When we arrived at Husøya we found a place to stay and took another boat for Sanna. There we walked for a few hours, getting closer to the open sea. We visited the cave which is one of Norway’s oldest dwellings. We try imagine how the cavemen lived and thrived on seal, fish and birds. But we also imagined how they might have starved in winter darkness.

When we came back to Husøya, dinner was waiting. Freshly cooked pollock and fried ling with potatoes and sauce. Nothing complicated, just a perfect end to a perfect day. When leaving on the day after we are already making plans for other years.

sailing on the breeze
a gannet trails our ferry —
herrings in the wake

Today Toni hosts Haibun Monday at dVerse with the instruction to write a about a summer memroy from our most recent vacation or one many years ago. Join us with your memory. The bar opens very soon at 3 PM EST
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August 21, 2017

16 responses to “Close to the horizon”

Sounds like a peaceful place and the perfect way to take a holiday. I especially the Haiku at the end, it must have been a stark existence all those years ago.

Islands are magical places and the one you describe looks wonderful. I know what you mean by bordering yourself. I like the way you described the islands, some ‘flat, barely reaching above the Atlantic surface. But a few have peaks that touch the sky’. What a place to visit, though, ‘the cave which is one of Norway’s oldest dwellings’. And I love the haiku!

I’ve only been on a few islands where a ferry was needed. It did make me feel more isolated not to leave whenever I wanted to.

Love the details of the island visit and dinner afterwards ~ Would love to travel someday to your part of the world ~ Your haiku is simply lovely Bjorn ~

Your haiku is incredible. And what a lovely trip to the islands. One truly does put a border around oneself when visit an island. We used to go to one of the barrier Islands off the Coast of NC where our family has owned property since….forever. I love the simple dinner and that you enjoyed it so much. you all were making plans for future years.

What a beautiful place and what a treat to be there – I can understand why you are already making plans for your return. The haiku and photograph are both beautiful :o)

oooh, thank you for taking us with you on this beautiful journey! The photo is exquisite! A wake of herring — now that I would like to see 🙂
We LOVED our time in the Norwegian fjords — a truly magical place.

“To visit an island means to border yourself.” – So true!

I like the peaceful feel of your trip. Don’t think the cavemen had anything on you. Eating out is fun!

This is just wonderful … sublime – and yet, gently edifying. Your haiku dovetails beautifully with the prose – which contains some awesome lines … the opening, in particular, gave me pause. All in all, it sounds like a dream holiday.

Sounds like a beautiful trip, and you describe it so well. Thank you!

A grand haibun, brother. We have a lot of islands in Puget Sound & many others along B.C. north to Alaska–with ferries to them all; in summer the waiting lines of cars can for 3-8 hours (for a 20 min. crossing)