Nykvåg and Hovden

Nykvåg and Hovden are Langøya's fist, brandished towards The Norwegian Sea. The sand dunes are substatioal. They have resisted the open sea for thousands of years. The 3,5 km long pebble beach between the fishing villages of Nykvåg and Hovden is one of the largest and most beautiful in Nordland.

A clenched fist out into The Norwegian Sea

17/07/2018

05:49

Astrid Berthinussen

Living on the borderline between unruly oceans and cliff-like mountains offers food for fantasy. Draugen - the ghost of the sea - and the supernatural thrive out here, to the consternation of generations of dark-fearing souls, but to the satifaction of the tour operators of today.

Two old fishing stations
These two fishing villages on the open ocean contain some of the finest scenery Vesterålen can offer her visitors. The poor harbour conditions from 'old' in Hovden were significantly kimproved when the breakwater was completed in 1899, still the conditions were hard. A hurricane as recently as 1975 caused great damage.

Abundant catches and 'empty seas', destructive winter storms and velvet-smooth midnight sun nights, gruelling labour and quiet meditaion, optimism and despair - these are som of the many contrasts that make these two old fishing villages so excitingly interesting.

Bird rock
The activity on the bird rock near Nykvåg is an uforgettable experience during the sesting season. As a 'guest' you must be very careful. The kittiwake, razorbill, common guillemot, puffin and several other sea birds nest here. The last few years there has been a decrease in the number of birds. Maybe due to de encrease of the white tailed eagle.

Rock beaches
The rock beaches at Nykvåg-Hovden are the result of the ocean's erosion of the outermost moraine ridge. Here the waves have worked ceaselessly, washing away all the fine sand - and we get a shoreline that consist of large boulders.

Texts: ' An encounter with Vesterålen'