I wake up quite early and realize it had been snowing through out the night. Steady sleet pounds the windows and I smile. Just as dawn breaks, I emerge onto the upper deck. Today we cross the artic circle and venture far beyond.

We entered the boat in Bergen and will not disembark completely until Tromso. Between now and then are many, many miles of snow.

We hear announcements that we are approaching the arctic circle. I have been prepped to look for a small globe to mark the spot. It is an imaginary line that captures my imagination. Polar expeditions. Ice boats. Polar bears. And the Northern Lights. I hope to encounter at least one.

Shortly after the crossing, the ship Carrie out a ritual for all first timers. A sea creature appears on deck, a god of the sea who decides to bestow good luck after he pours ice water down your back. I decide to risk his displeasure and head back inside.

We sail on as the snow picks up and the wind howls. Eerily, there is no wildlife visible. No fish, no birds, no seals. It is barren wilderness all around. What happened to the animals? I have looked everyday for a fish. I have seen exactly zero.

We disembark in the heavy snow in Bodø. The town is small and non-descriptive. It had been completely razed by the Nazis. When it was rebuilt, it was functionality over aesthetics. Bodo is cold and windy. Snow continues to fall.

We walk into town and find a grocery store to buy snacks. I wander the mall to kill time. We find the high street and take pictures in the snow. I get excited when I find a Salvation Army fretex shop. I love the sustainability of resale. Each piece has a story to tell. I select a wool sweatshirt. I have a feeling I am going to need it. It is cold and wool is warm.

Back on board, we find a spot at the back of the boat to shelter from the stormy weather. It is on the outer deck, so we have a great viewing spot for photos of the shifting landscape. The clouds and the snow make a dramatic backdrop.

Dinner is a local feast of reindeer and klipfish. We enjoy the regional meal and then head to the game room. The sea is rough and we are bored. We play battleship. People that wander by, joke that maybe it isn’t the best game for the evening. Since it is the only entertainment available, we play on. It is slow going due to snow storms and rough sea. We reach Svolvær, there is no time to visit. Just a port in the dark and then we head for a dark crossing of the trollfjord. We stay up for the hot drinks and fish soup on the upper deck. But eventually, the bunk is calling. Tomorrow we arrive at our final destination and I want to be rested.