NRK Summer 2021 - Sommerskuta Slow TV

If you're needing a sense of travel, adventure and wider horizons, there is a chance for a six week journey around Norway this summer - albeit courtesy of TV.

This summer's Slow TV project from Norway's NRK broadcaster comes courtesy of a magnificent sailing ship, the "Statsraad Lemkuhl".*

Over the six weeks, the 107 year old vessel sails from North Cape on the 6th of July, arriving on the 15th August in Arendal. Sights along the way obviously feature pretty much the entire Norwegian coastline with 29 stops, with a brief call in on Lerwick, Shetland. Yes, for the very first time Norwegian Slow TV actually physically arrives in the UK.

The Statsraaden is the largest sailing vessel in Norway, 98 metres long, 48 metres tall on the highest of its three masts,  a veritable festival of sea-faring elegance. With it taking in nearly all of the Norwegian coast, there will no doubt be opportunity for some jaw-dropping views and romantic sea-faring aesthetics.

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A post shared by Seilskipet Statsraad Lehmkuhl (@statsraad_lehmkuhl)

 

The crew will also consist of volunteers who were able to apply to take part in the project.

It is now a fine Slow TV tradition in Norway for people to turn up waving and putting all sorts of fun and entertainment before the cameras; obviously we are now in a pandemic. The public are being encouraged to wave and participate from where they are, and not to gather en masse in quays and harbours. There will less content broadcast in the evenings than usual to discourage crowds from gathering.

Nevertheless, this won't discourage people from waving flags, having signs saying "Hei Mom", waterski-ing Borats and Gorillas. The code is staying distanced on land, or if a flotilla of smaller ships muster to greet the Statsraaden, then for people to use their own boats.

There are four days scheduled at sea; timings are contingent upon favourable weather. List of dates as they stand on 14th June, courtesy of NRK are:

1. Havøysund 6.-7. July
2. Øksfjord 8 July
3. Hansnes 9 July
4. Senjahopen July 10
5. Andenes 13 July
6. Myre July 14th
7. Melbu July 15th
8. Stamsund 16 July
9. Værøy 17 July
10. Kjerringøy 18 July
11. Selsøyvik 20 July
12. At sea (west of Brønnøysund) 21 July
13. Bessaker July 22nd
14. Kyrksæterøra 23 July
15. Langøy 24 July
16. Brattvåg 25 July
17. Sell ​​July 27th
18. Askvoll 28 July
19. At sea (west of Fedje) 29 July
20. Lerwick (Shetland) July 30th
21. At sea (west of Bergen) 31 July
22. Strusshamn 1 Aug. 
23. Rubbestadneset 3. aug.
24. Kopervik 4. aug.
25. Lysebotn 5. aug. 
26. Sirevåg 6 Aug. 
27. Båly 7. aug.
28. Bredalsholmen 8. aug.
29. Helgeroa 10. aug.
30. Holmestrand 11 Aug.
31. Full 12 Aug.
32. Skjærhalden 13 Aug.
33. Stavern 14 Aug.
34. Bratteklev 15 Aug.

For more about the Statsraaden, see their website (English version).

The Slow TV project will also have central themes of the environment and sustainability, with the Statsraaden being "...the world's most environmentally friendly sailing ship in its class. The wind is the engine for 60 to 70 percent of the time. In addition, a new battery has been installed that ensures electric operation to and from the quay and reduces other fuel emissions."

The Slow TV Blog will be following the voyage with great interest, as it shows Norway to the world, connects people and communities, telling good stories and giving us those sublime Slow TV moments.

Credit to this NRK article as principal source.

Image of Statsraaden in Shetland by Ronnie Robertson, used with the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.

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