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[JimG]

Came back from a few days in Oslo last friday where I took the opportunity to visit the museums at Bygdoy. The main museum has the two polar exploration ships the Fram and the Gjoa. The Fram was Amundsens ship on his South Pole exploration and is described as the strongest wooden ship ever built, this is understandable with the amound of extra internal bracing. The Gjoa is much smaller and was used in the Arctic and was trhe first to pass through the North West passage over the top of Canada, taking 3 years to complete the voyage.There is full access to the exterior and interior of both ships at different levels with a lot of other exhibits
 at different levels. Information is in both Norwegian and English throughout. There is much more to see in the Fram where you are taken round the interior from the engine room to the dining salon (complete with piano). The control panel for the electrical system looks rather frightening.In the Fram hall the roof is used as a video screen showing scenes from the Antartctic ocean  to make it appear is if she is sailing through the waters, a fun addition to the fore deck is a wooden bench that rocks from side to side if you sit on it.
Jim

[JimG]

The Gjoa hall is joined by a subway passing under the road. Internal access is not for the infirm as you need to be aqble to clamber ovcer the internal bracing in the hold, this is large beams that go from one side of the hull to the other to counter crushing forces in the ice. As this is a smaller ship the crew must have had to live in very cramped quarters.
Jim

[JimG]

The next museum is the Thor Heyerdal museum, this contains the Kon-Tiki raft and the Ra reed boat. Not much to see unless you stay to watch the original film made of the expedition. The third museum is the Norwegian Maritime museum, plenty of ship models to see and a seterate building with a number of small boats used by coastal communities for transport and fishing. Small open boats for oars. and sail. The other main museum the VikingShip museum is closed for refurbishment and building an extension and won't open for a couple of years.
Jim

[JimG]

I took the opportunity for a trip round the Oslo Fjord on the two masted schooner Helena, built in the 1940's. The trip was for 2 hours and although a bit chilly with a cold breeze it gave the opportunity to see the Oslo shore and some of the islands in the fjord. The Helene is one of 3 wooden sailing ships used for this tour (a modern electric powered boat  also does tours) although it was under power not sail. There are a number of other sailing ships moored in this central area.The last pic shows the helm position on the Helena, the wheel is not used to steer, the captain has a small joystick on his right. This with the motor control allowed the ship to be turned in virtually its own length after it had entered a narrow bay.
Jim

[Martin (Admin)]

Great photos Jim !   
 
 

[tigertiger]

Some great pictures, and some lovely old ships and boats.
Thanks for sharing. 

[dodes]

After reading about the Kon Tikki at school, would love to go and see the real thing.

[JimG]

It was a bit of a disappointment when actually visited, hard to find enough there for an hours visit so a bit poor value for money. However the Osla Pass gave free entry as well as to the other museums there
Jim