Narvik & Arctic Norway

From July to March Jane R is based in Narvik 700 miles north of Bergen in the Arctic Circle for charters in Northern Norway. Lofoten Finmark, and Berents coast to the Russian Boarder. The cruise north navigates through spectacular fjords and narrow channels visiting many of the best dive sites and principle towns along the coast, stopping to climb mountains and Svart Isen glassier. This 10 day dive cruise appeals to divers or none divers with interests in navigation sight seeing or relaxing all the way to Bodo.

From Bodo we head out 70 miles west to Rost the most southerly of the famous Lofoten Isles, then we dive our way north stopping to observe sea eagles, bird colonies, and spectacular mountain rangers all the way to Tromso. Northern Norway contains numerous wreck sites, almost all the sites are suitable for both novice and experienced divers. UK divers are impressed by the diving conditions. Most sites are in non-tidal in clear sheltered water with temperatures around 8C at depth, 13C near the surface. Late summer is also the best time of year for good weather, and with long sunny daylight hours it can be surprisingly hot.

The wrecks at Narvik include many WW2 warships and large freighters. More than 30 ships were sunk in the harbour during the two battles of 1940. In addition to this, 6 German, 1 Polish, and 3 British destroyers lie in the nearby fjords.  Jane R is licensed to dive 11 sites including a seaplane. With so much local history there are many diving related pursuits to be done between dives at Narvik, a trip around the ore terminal, the local iron ore railway, and famous war museums, A one mile climb up the mountain to see the wreck of the Rauenfels!! A trip to Sweden on the most powerful mountain train in the world followed by a 6 klm walk down Rombacks fjord to dive a WW 2 seaplane.

Three day excursions can also be made from Narvik to include other sites such as north to Harstad or west to the Lofoten Isles, and one way trips to Tromso which include the Tirpitz site. To do this divers fly in & out of different airports. During 2005/07 two successful pioneering trips with regular customers dived from Tromso up to N 70.31.00 to Nord Kapp then along the Berents coast  to Kirkenes  31.00.00 east at the Russian border. On this trip 10 additional wrecks were dived including the Russian cruiser Murmansk

WRECKS REMAINING IN NARVIK HARBOUR FROM WWII

ERICH GRIESE   A German destroyer sunk by British destroyers 13/04/1940

ODIN   A German cargo ship sunk by a mine in 1941

ROMANBY  A British cargo ship torpedoed 10/04/1940

BOCKENHIEM   A German cargo ship run ashore 09/041940

NORGE   A Norwegian panzer ship sunk by German torpedoes 09/04/1940

MARTHA HEINRICH FISSER   A German cargo ship shelled 13/04/1940

STRASSA  A Swedish cargo ship, sunk by own crew 13/04/1940

NEUENFELS  A German cargo ship torpedoed 13/04/1940

OTHER SHIPS SUNK DURING NAVAL ACTION 9-13/ 04 /40

CATE B  A Norwegian cargo ship removed 1953

ELDRID   A Norwegian cargo ship removed 1940s

MICHAEL SARS   A Norwegian Coast Guard ship refloated 1948

SAPHIR   Norwegian cargo ship

BERNISSE   Dutch cargo ship rescued 1949

BODEN   Swedish cargo hip removed 1940s

OXELOSUND   Swedish cargo ship rescued 1947

TORNE   Swedish cargo ship removed 1940

BLYTHMOOR   British cargo ship removed1953

MERSINGTON COURT    British cargo ship removed 1940s

NORTH CORNWALL    British cargo ship removed 1953

RIVERTON    British cargo ship removed 1940s

AACHEN    German cargo ship rescued 1951

ALTONA   German cargo ship removed 1940

HIEN HOYER   German cargo ship removed 1953

WILHELM HEIDKAMPF   German destroyer removed 1963

ANTON SMIT   German destroyer removed 1963

HARLEGG   Norwegian cargo ship rescued  1944

KELT   Norwegian watch vessel rescued 1940

DIANA   Swedish tug rescued 1940

STYRBJORN   Swedish rescued 1940

JAN WELLEM   German Whale Ship rescued 1940

LIPPE   German cargo ship rescued 1940

FRIELINGSHAUS   German cargo ship rescued 1940

PLANET   German cargo ship rescued 1953

DIETER VON ROEDER   German destroyer removed 1949

RODSKJELL   Norwegian tanker rescued 1940

EIDSVOLD   Norwegian panzer ship partly removed 1961-66