A gray day on Andøya

This morning I got up early to be ready for the ferry from Gryllefjord to Andenes. As early as 7 o'clock I rolled down to the port even though the ferry wasn't due to leave until 11. I had read that it could be difficult to get a seat so I wanted to be on the safe side. When I arrived I was all alone and got the first place in the queue. For a moment I began to wonder if maybe I had read wrong or if the ferry had already stopped running for the season. But after a short while, the queue quickly began to fill up – cars, motorhomes and even a truck. When the ferry Stetind, an old faithful, finally left the port, it was packed. Behind us, the rain hung over the mountain tops as we left Senja.

I've been lucky with the weather for the first two weeks of my trip with the exception of some serious gale force winds. But today autumn hit in earnest. Already in the morning I was greeted by persistent rain and cold. During the crossing it rocked quite a bit and the grey, rough weather set the tone for the rest of the day.

After arriving at Andenes, I continued along the national tourist route on Andøya. Unfortunately most of it was hidden behind rain and fog so I only made a few stops where I had to wait out the worst showers. It was hopeless trying to photograph that much as the lens quickly became completely covered by rain or damp fog. It was hardly the most inspiring weather for such a beautiful road but I will see it as a reason to return another time.

As the afternoon drew to a close I decided to set up camp at a small marina outside Maurnes and wait for better weather. Here I am now sitting in my mobile home while the rain is pattering hard on the roof. Despite the rough weather, it's nice to be inside in the heat and listen to the rain outside. I plan to spend the evening cooking spaghetti carbonara and see what tomorrow has to offer in terms of weather and travel routes.