Welcome to Hurtigruta / the Coastal Voyage

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Web-adress here: www.Hurtigruta.Info e-mail: Hurtigruta@msn.com

m/s Polarlys comes to port 1 January. (Photo: Kai Leithe.)

Hello and welcome to my Coastal Voyage Web page

Mate Kai in m / s Lofoten welcome you to Hurtigruta.info :-)

I've always been interested in Coastal, this is a fantastic voyage that it is impossible to get bored, because everything ... both the landscape, weather, nature and the seasons changing all the time.

I have traveled a lot as a passenger on board the steamer, but for a few years ago I was lucky enough to have designs on as substitute mate. Within two years, I was on 3 of the ships .... m / s Lofoten, m / s Nordnorge and M / S Narvik ....

So I got to experience what it's like to be crew on the Norwegian Coastal Voyage. I just want to say that this is an absolutely fantastic job in which you are well taken care of. Yes, it's like to be a member of a fine old family.

m/s Lofoten arrive. (photo: Kai Leithe.)

Fellow Trustees on board is fantastic As crew, you also get a mutual and good relations with passengers on board, which is unique for Coastal This puts passengers appreciate

There is no doubt that those who sail the Hurtigruten are good sailors who know the coast, the fairway and his ship in and out.

One important thing is safety on board ... It is first class and nothing is left to coincidence. Often held drills, and when there are new people on board, they are trained in safety with under fire, evacuation and lifeboat maneuver. Each ship has a dedicated security officer who ensures that all personal lists are updated and that all safety equipment is in top condition and ready for use at any time. The security officer is always on board.

Mate Kai navigates m / s Lofoten, a visitor provided.

Regarding Hurtigruten's history, you will find a link to the Coastal Express Museum, and that I have gathered some information and images from all 89 coastal ships have sailed, all the way back to the d / s Vester Aalen, who was sitting in traffic from Trondheim on 2 July 1893 at 0800. The ship arrived in Hammerfest less than three days later. The July 5, 1893. This was a sensation in those days. On board the Hurtigruten's father, Captain Richard With.

The first coastal steamer that was put into operation on 2. July 1893:

D/S Vesteraalen (1893-1940)

The special with the steamer at that time was that they had "powerful searchlights on board and that they was able to sail at night ".... They used the "Manual course book" which was written and prepared by pilot Anders Holte and Captain Rickhard With. (Course book is still in use today on the steamers.) Furthermore, they had a powerful compass, clock and log. But much has changed since then ......

MS Finnmarken in fine style in the south Brønnøysunds. (Photo: Kai Leithe.)

You will also find a summary of Hurtigruten's war history (under )....

In the margin to the right, you will find lots of useful information and history, I will also refer to Hurtigruten's main Web page, see link further up right or below on this page.

I hope you will enjoy and find useful informations on this website. With regards, Kai :-)

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See and read about all the 90 ships there has been sailing since 1893... Click here!

m/s "Midnatsol"

sailing north towards the Midnightsun (Midnatsol) countries. (Photo: Kai Leithe).

m/s Nordllys

heading south after a wonderful trip to North Cape and Kirkenes. (Photo: Kai Leithe.)

Where are Hurtigruten right now?

Click here!

m/s Nordlys

(Northern Lights) in the narrow waters of the spring tide. (Photo: K. Leithe)

assengers enjoying themselves on the stern ... Now it's summer!. (Photo: K. Leithe)

Få et større kamera bilde, klikk her. Klikk så på Oppdater!

BT's Seafaring WebCam (Sailing Web cam) on (on) m / s Richard With.

Webcams (on) M / S Finnmarken, M / S Lofoten, M / S Midnatsol, M / S Narvik, M / S Trollfjord, M / S Nordkapp, M / S Nordnorge, M / S Polarlys, M / S Nordlys and M / S Vesterålen. (Click on the image above)

M/S Richard With's capitain Jørgensen on the bridge. (photo: Kai Leithe.)

Which ship from which port?

m/s Richard With

was greeted with full music when it arrived in the Torghatt festival. (foto: K. Leithe)

It happens a lot along the coast during the summer. (Photo:

Kai Leithe.)

At this year's brightest night, the 22nd June 2007 at 0030 arriving m / s Nordkapp to Bronnoysund,

it is Midnightsun south of the Arctic Circle! (Photo:

Kai Leithe).

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m / s Finnmarken Hurtigruten at the Museum of Stokmarknes. (Photo:

K.Leithe)

Hurtigrute/ Costal Voyage museum... Click here!

Norwegian Coastal Voyage ship sunk during the war:


DS Richard With 13/9-41, DS Prins Gustav 7/6-40, DS Vesteraalen 17/10-41, DS Dronning Maud 1/5-40, DS Ariadne 7/6-40, DS Mira 4/3-41, DS Barøy 13/9-41 , DS NordNorge 10/5-40, DS Prinsesse Ragnhild 23/10-40, DS Sigurd Jarl 23/4-40, DS Irma 13/2-44, DS Ryfylke 5/2-41,DS Sanct Svitun 30/9-43

Hurtigruten 1940 - 1945

Hurtigruten coastal Norway's most important transportation route, set departures after 9 April 1940.

The summer and autumn of 1940 sailings once again with a series of tragic loss as a result.

23.10.1940 was D / S Princess Ragnhild lowered outside of Bodø, the first war disaster that hit the coastal ships in ordinary speed. The accident was probably due to a British underwater mine from April 1940. 54 passengers, 25 crew members and 150 to 200 German soldiers lost their lives.

12.9.1941 was D / S Barøy sunk in the western area of a British flytorpedo. 18 crew and 59 passengers, among them 21 women and 7 children died. In addition, lost about 40 German soldiers life.

The next day was D / S Richard With torpedoed by a British submarine (Tigris) off the coast of Finnmark. The ship went down in 50 seconds and almost 100 people were killed.

D/S Dronning Maud was bombed in Gratangen 1940.

After this it was decided that Coastal would not sail beyond Tromsø. On the stretch Tromsø - Hammerfest was created a sk. replacement schedule.

17.10.1941 was D / S Vester Aalen torpedoed off Øksfjord. The ship sank within half a minute, and only 7 of a total of 67 passengers and crew members were rescued. In the next 2 years sailed Hurtigruten without dramatic loss, but

30.9.1943 was D / S Sanct Svithun sunk by British aircraft at Stad, 43 Norwegian and 18 Germans were killed.

The sinking of the D / S Irma on Hustadvika 13/02/1944 was the last serious accident which affected the Hurtigruten. The ship was sunk by Norwegian MTBs stationed in Shetland. 61 people were killed in the accident. The sinking of Sanct Svithun and Irma occurred despite the fact that both the British aircraft and MTBs from Shetland had standing orders not to attack the Norwegian civilian ferry boats that sailed alone.

The Germans and NS utilized when the maximum of the allied attacks on coastal ships in the propaganda against the Allies and the London government.

Coastal was, despite heavy losses, maintained throughout the war, both in the interests of the coastal population's supply needs and the occupying power's need for transport of military personnel and material.

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