27/04 – 29/04

Group: Sharon, Jais, Roman, Steven, Daniel, Flurin, Lea (+ Jana), Katja

Planning

The idea was to go canoeing and as we had just one car, it should be in the surrounding of Kristiansand. I first wanted to do sea canoeing but after our first “canoe-in-moving-water experiences” and because of Len’s disadvice we decided to do something else. As we definitely need water for canoeing we could rather go up the river Otra – against the current – or paddle on the Tofdalsfjorden – what we finally did. We decided to go not just canoeing for two days, but combine it with a small hike in Jegersberg as we haven’t been in the nice area in the spring time.
So that was our route plan:

Monday 27/04

–          Meet 8 AM at Uni Canoe Garage with Geir

–          Put 4 canoes, 8 paddles and 8 PVA vests with Flurins car to Roligheden Bay

–          Start paddling up Tofdalsfjorden (around 12 km straight) (island/beach hopping, improve techniques, …)

–          Camp at a good spot at the north end of the Tofdalsfjorden

Paddle approx. 12 – 15 km, 4 – 5 h

 

Tuesday 28/04

–          Paddling back down the Fjord (again island/beach hopping, improve techniques, …)

–          Bring back the canoes to Uni Canoe Garage (-> appointment with Geir?)
Alternative (if we are too late to meet Geir): sleep another night on a local beach and bring back the canoes in the morning (-> talk to Geir on Monday morning)

–          Walk into Jegersberg for about 2.5 km to Holmenkollen, camp there

Paddle approx. 12 – 15 km, 4 – 5 h

Hike 2.5 km, 45 min

 

Wednesday 29/04

–          Hike to Omvendte Bat (2.5 km) with a daypack (hide big backpack at Holmenkollen under a tarp)

–          Depending on the weather: do a round course north of Omvendte Bat to the lake Glattetrevannet and back (8.5 km)

–          Go back to Hollmenkollen, pick up big backpacks and go back to Uni/home (5 km)

Hike approx. 7.5 km (16 km), approx. 2 h (4 – 5 h)

 

The Trip

On Monday morning 8 AM we met all together at the UiA canoe garage to put down the canoes to the Roligheden Bay. As only one canoe could be transported at a time and we just had one car it took us a while to do it. After we finally managed to bring all our luggage

and the canoes to the beach, our adventure started. In the first few kilometers it was a nice paddling with sunshine, the wind in our back and a few waves. Everybody was excited to be on the water again with different canoe partners and tried to remember most of the technique of the last trip. After the first break in the sun, a big wall of dark clouds appeared. We decided to try to go as far as we can before it finally starts raining. As we did so, the waves became bigger from the storm and it started raining quite hard. Our best solution was waiting beyond a near boat landing stage which covered us from the cold rain and wind. After a few minutes the weather already calmed down, so that we could continue our

canoeing. The paddling itself was quite chilled as we had not many kilometers to our destination – the end of the fjord. So we had a lot of time to paddle slowly around bays and islands and had a look at the fancy houses there. After we finally arrived our aim, we were looking for a nice flat ground away from houses to set up our shelter. But this project wasn’t as easy as it sounds… After a while we finally found what we were looking for and build the best shelter out of 3 canoes and two (big) tarps. Since it was just early afternoon because of our fast paddling (12 km), we decided to do a little walk to the closest KIWI shop, which was 5 km away. Unfortunately the route was mostly along the street. But as there was just little traffic and quite nice weather (most of the time) it was even though a nice evening walk – and we bought hotdogs for dinner! After we came back to relax a bit in the shelter, we met a man, who blamed us not really friendly for being on his property (which we couldn’t really know as it was a grassland a few hundred meters away from houses…). As there was no other

possibility around to camp (steep ground or houses) we had no other possibility as doing a nice and fast evening paddling back the fjord on a calm water and try to reach the beach near the Kjevik airport before it gets totally dark. It was a tight business but we finally managed to reach it quite tired but happy. It was good that we practiced how to build the shelter a few hours earlier, so we were able to build it up briefly in the darkness. After this was done, we could finally start our camp fire to make – typical Norwegian – Hotdogs in Lompe with ketchup and roasted onions. A very adventurous and nice day!!

The next morning we started quite late because we already did half of our planned route for today. After breakfast at the beach, packing and setting down the shelter we crossed the calm fjord in the sunshine. Along the route we saw a nice lonely beach where we took a relaxing break.

But after a few minutes the wind was getting stronger and the waves were getting bigger, so we decided to continue our trip. The paddling of the last 3 kilometer was the hardest part of the whole trip: contrary wind with quite heavy waves! It took us a really long time and a lot of energy (if we would have make a paddling break it would have blown us back immediately) to manage these distance. We finally reached the bridge shortly before our destination and couldn’t go on because of the even heavier storm after the bridge. So we had no other choice as taking out the canoes, hide them beyond a tarp and walk back to university to waffle hour.

Yes, waffle hour was part of our trip just as the KIWI and later the Jacuzzi/hot shower (because we were really cold of the storm and the struggle). This is possible, because we modernized Friluftsliv!! I will explain it later…
So after waffle hour at UiA and Jacuzzi, Jais, Sharon and I continued our trip to Jegersberg. We hiked around known ground which looked really different now in the spring

time with all the green colors and blossoms. We just did a small hike to the Gapahuk where we were once teached how to make a fire. We just sat down there, talked, ate and enjoyed the evening light.

On the next morning just while we were packing, a group of children started running towards our Gapahuk and wondered what we were doing there. It was a forest kindergarden and we had some nice talks with the teachers and the kids. The plan for today was going to the Omvendte Bat. But a lot of the region of Jegersberg was blocked because of military work, so we couldn’t even do a good alternative route. That’s why we decided just to walk back and come home earlier.

 

Group dynamic

The group dynamic was really good I think. Hardly anybody complained about anything even there were a few tight situation e. g. the late evening paddling and the storm paddling. Every time we tried to make the best out of the situation e. g. enjoyed the easy paddling on the calm fjord and the light of the setting sun in the evening. Everybody was ok with the

group decisions and we had some good talks and laughs. We also motivated each other in tight situations especially our canoe partner. But for example in the storm on the second day, it was quite hard not to be grumpy, keep on paddling and trust the steering partner that we don’t capsize because of the waves. But in the end everything worked out quite well as a result of a good group dynamic.

 

Reflections

Modernized Friluftsliv

As I already mentioned before, our trip consisted of a few untypical Friluftsliv activities. So we went to KIWI to do KIWI-Shopping (look for expired products), had music out of speakers at the campfire, went to waffle hour, had a nice time in jacuzzy/in the hot shower, … But maybe just because of that, it was a really good trip and everybody enjoyed every minute of it and not just want it to be over. I mean the whole world gets modernized – why

shouldn’t be Friluftsliv modernized? Maybe it would be more attractive to young people if you combine Friluftsliv activities with activities in the modern world. Of course it is also nice to spent full 4 or 5 days in the nature without any technology but not all of the time! And when you combine it, you appreciate the normal things as waffle hour and Jacuzzi even more! Apart from that: if I wouldn’t have warmed up my body I would be probably sick now as my whole body was chilled through because of the exhausting storm paddling. I think you just have to find the right mixture of it depending on the kind of people you are doing the trip with…

 

Learning outcomes

The trip showed, that you sometimes have to be quite flexible, to find a new solution for a current, unplanned situation and make the best out of it. I am also learning all the time during the trips that different people have different opinions and behaviors depending on their culture, character, experience, … And that it is important to resp

ect all of these, but at the same time find a solution for the aim of a task, route, … It takes a while to find out the best mixture and you also have to know the people in your group, but I feel like it is getting better and better during the whole time! Of course it also depends of the composition of the group.

After all this trip we had a really good group composition, so the whole trip worked out very good and I really liked it!