Location: Ostre Randoya

This week both the international and Norwegian classes lived on an ex-military owned island participating in various water based experiences. Our aims of this week were to learn by experience and gain knowledge about ocean eco-systems, sea safety, regulations on and in the ocean, navigation and principles of sailing. Both classes were spilt into 4 groups, each group member had something to present an aspect of this week learning activities.

As we were group 1 we had to survive on the island the first night. Marijn, Frankie and I got on our boat and rowed with what bare essentials we’d carry on a day trip as this was the prologue to us being stuck on the island. Marijn and I eventually made it out of the small harbour at the expense of 30 people laughing at us attempting to row. We realised it was more about timing and technique than power, by this time threw out 20 metres of 3 layer fishing net 90 degrees out from the shore. The Norwegians in our group Martha, Ingrid, Tuva and Tulorg prior to rowing to the island gave us information about the different types of nets, why one side floats and the other side is filled with lead and the legal size of fishing net hole sizes. These nets we threw out contained 3 circular layers all with different sized holes to allow fish to swim in but difficult to swim out. Each row boat unloaded a net then we docked on the most suitable rocks we could find, pulled the boats ashore and started to explore the island. We found a old German bunker and decided to congregate at. As a group we unanimously voted that the girls would look for shelter whilst Marijn and I attempted to catch extra dinner.

Marijn and I return back with nothing as both catches we too small or poisonous, the Norwegians girls wanted to prove that they could catch something instead the returned back with two missing lures and no fish. Both Marijn and I mentioned it was funny that us to guys went into ‘hunter’ mode as the girls went into ‘gatherer’ mode when making the shelter and cooking food. The soup was basic but it was enough fill my stomach till morning. The girls found a flat mossy area sheltered by trees as we weren’t sure if it was going to rain. We laid down the tarp as the ground was already wet and then proceeded to cover as much of my body from mosquitoes. I used the PFD as a huge nappy to keep my groin and stomach warm whilst using my daypack as a pillow. We all squished together producing enough warm for us to fall asleep for 3 hours till the mosquitoes got too thick. The whole group was awake by 6 am and decided to leave the island and retrieve our nets. Gathering the nets was exciting as we had no idea what we’d catch, in the end as a group we caught 5  Pollock and 6 flat head fish. As I hauled them up I used a knife to kill them swiftly and humanly.

We arrived back tired and had a couple hours sleep before our next lecture. For this lecture the teacher had us stretch out the net, pull it apart to collect the catch and remove all seaweed from the netting. This was a more involved and timely process than I thought, if you were a single fisherman with multiple net this would take hours. The teacher then taught us the general technique of filleting our fish we caught, beginning with gutting the fish and removing all its stomach followed by cutting down it’s spine, cutting past its gills and removing the head. Afterwards you’d keep following the spine following the bones and cutting from the stomach line to the tail where you’d have a fillet of fish. My fish attempt on a flat fish wasn’t great as I wasn’t aware of it’s different anatomy however I did a decent job at filleting a 2kg Pollock. It was great cooking our creamy fish soup later than evening as we caught this fish, we filleted it and with cooked it. We provided for ourselves and it tasted better because of this. This topic of hunting/fishing/providing for yourself needs to be brought to more attention as most people are mindlessly and unknowingly buying food from a supermarket and not knowing where it comes from.

Later than afternoon we learnt the basic’s of driving a 2 stroke motor boat something I had never done before. We learnt about the components of the how to use the motor (pull start, choke, kill switch, throttle, shifter, filling it up with petrol & oil) and covered items you should always have on you (boat lights (depending on size for red & green), PFD, torch, first aid, and a means of communication). We went on a local tour around the island and I quickly got used to controlling the boat I got used to controlling it quite quickly. That evening we had a tour of the island and the World War 2 faculties it contained, I was surprised to see the extent of all the underground bunkers and communication rooms. I found this especially interesting as history like this doesn’t exist back home; it’s great that this island is now used as a means of education.

Day 3 our first lecture with Svien Rune was based on how to row a boat, something that would have been great before rowing to our survival night on the island. Marijn and I row first while Frankie and Martha watched and laughed our poor technique. Svien gave us a couple points like using your full body to pull and finally pull in with your arms. Rowing was just completely different from canoeing or kayaking as your face the other way and it seems backwards. Again we realised it was more technique and pace with your partner than power to keep the row boat under control. Martha the Norwegian was brilliant at it, she clearly had been doing it since she was young like she said. That afternoon Frankie and myself ran the basic skills paddling as we had completed our kayaking trip last week. Most of the Norwegians had completed kayak before so we were focusing on Janna, Marijn and Sarah who had never kayaked before! We had everyone hop on the water with the correct technique to enter the kayak then covered basic strokes. Frankie and I had them raft up and watch us cover the vertical forward stroke, sweep stroke and paddling backwards the essentials to get you by. We used a couple of good terms for them to remember for the strokes like “lazer nipples” (trunk rotation), push and pull the paddle and “catch, power, recover”. We paddled 2km to a cove and back before finishing our session with kayak rescues. Marijn, Sarah and Janna hadn’t done this before, Frankie and I thought this would be necessary for our day trip the following day.

Day 4 was my favourite day as the weather was great and perfect for us exploring the swallow waters for little ocean critters. Svein was so ensuthasic about ocean biology and was a wealth of knowledge; I wish we had him more. He first taught us about little ants that were fine to eat, even their wee on the sticks were tangy. For a good 45 minutes we returned back to our childhood observing and trying to catch ocean life. It was fascinating when Svein cracked open a mussel and left it in the water; 30 seconds later there was a swarm of crabs, shrimp and snail eating all around it; amazing. The group collected the ocean life that wanted to show everyone at the end, Tuva and Tulorg gave us an insight to what things were and even having us try mussels and snails! Afterwards Svein showed us a type of cabbage which was eatable, I couldn’t stop eating it! Later that afternoon Frankie and I lead the group around Ostre Randoya for our kayak tour, navigation was simple as we were handrailing the island the whole time. We did enter more open and choppier water at once stage however Tuva and Tulorg said it was too rough so they turned back….I thought they were joking? Sarah had never been in a kayak since yesterday and two Norwegian outdoor education students didn’t want to continue because the water was a little rough; to say the least I was shocked…I encouraged them to come however I wasn’t there teacher and the group was splitting apart so I just said go back then, I wasn’t going to waste time on them any more.

Our last morning Svein ran our snorkelling lecture, we wetsuited up along with a 6kg diving belt that I had never used before. I’ve been snorkelling plenty however without a dive belt before, it did assist me with keeping my torso down and diving further underwater. I managed to spot plenty of star fish, small Pollock and some kind of zebra fish but there was just a huge abundance of sea cabbage. Svein mentioned that this sea cabbage is slowly dying earlier than it should because of the warmer water due to global temperatures increasing which is sad to hear. After swimming for 50 minutes we packed up ourselves and the clean up the island before kayaking back to Kings Harbour.

I had a great week with everyone, however I think this camp would have been better suited earlier in the semester as we got to know the Norwegians quite well. It would have been great getting to know them earlier however I understand that weather doesn’t permit these activities. The group dynamic amongst us internationals seemed a lot more progressive towards the performing stage as we’ve simply spent so much more time with each other. Whereas I felt a lot of the Norwegians didn’t like speaking English or didn’t think they were very good, however everyone I did speak to were competent. Overall this week has been great to experience a vast array of water activities, many that I have never done before!