Runar Karlsson and Siggi Jonsson had been trying to find an answer to the question: How can we make a business out of inviting people to join us on adventures in our back country that we like to do ourselves? The answer sailed into harbor in 2005 when legendary sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail around the world single handed non-stop and Sir Chris Bonington, a world famous British mountaineer were on board. After a few beers and a stiff whisky or two, Sir Robin offered us to buy the “bloody boat“ and start our adventure from there. So that we did! This is our story.
Here on our first reconnaissance trip with a group of photographers and guides in May 2006.
We made a quick stop to check out the coastline in August 2006. First thing we saw on the beach was fresh polar bear tracks and we quickly got back on board…!
This volcanic island on 70° North in known for its active volcano Beerenberg (2233 m.) and is also a small Norwegian military outpost.
Hiking, kayaking and wildlife trips became our bread and butter.
We rebuilt a nice space in a beautiful house built in 1890 for our office and outdoor gear. Beautiful location.
We felt it was important to offer 360° service to our guests and to have more flexibility. Bjarnarnes took 18 passengers and served us well.
This nice space had been empty for a while but had been a watchmaker store for decades. We wanted to combine good food and coffee and adventures. A place to hang out and plan your next trip to the outdoors.
We had sailed passed the house many times and thought it could make for a great adventure base in the fjords. The house had been in neglect for 70 years and it would take more than a few cans of paint to get the house back in shape.
After careful thought, we sold Siggi the Aurora and he sailed off and formed a successful sailing expedition company.
After a difficult year in 2014, we got new shareholders into the company. We managed to fully fund the rebuild in Kvíar. That’s also another chapter of our story.
What a journey! It was a difficult but fun project were we had a lot of helping hands from friends, relatives and professional builders. We shipped many tons of timber, steel, furniture, cement, insulation, mini excavator on a barge and the list goes on. Finally the house was equipped to be used both in summer and in winter.° service to our guests and to have more flexibility. Bjarnarnes took 18 passengers and served us well.
Let’s continue with ur story. Sometimes a success is in a fresh pair of eyes. That’s certainly true here when we didn’t realize the potential regarding the Arctic foxes for wildlife photography workshops. These groups are now the core of our business from February until April.
It’s fair to say that Hornvik Bay is the most beautiful place in Hornstrandir, with its massive bird cliffs and jagged peaks. Having a great camp setup there is very unique and offers our guests a safe haven to enjoy their outings to the fullest.
You can say that the coffee shop was the victim of its own success in a way. It was just getting too much and shifted our focus from the core of the company which is adventures and the outdoors. New owners took over and that business is thankfully still running.
The boat stranded on the beach beneath Kviar Lodge after a gear failure close to shore. What a nightmare. But through the years we’ve developed a strong “C’est la vie“ mentality to cope with mishaps which is important when constantly dealing with the elements.
Bjarmi became a new family member. A sturdy boat built in Norway in 2016 that can take 20 passengers.
and now it’s again in 100% local ownership.
For connecting conservation and tourism in relation to the Arctic fox, a key species in the Arctic and Nordic region. This was a welcomed surprise in the middle of the pandemic.
With increased demand, we decided to jump into the deep end of the pool again. We found the perfect vessel in Norway that is 18 meters long and takes 48 passengers. We named her Sif after our daughter Regína Sif.
A return to normality as the world moves on after Covid-19. Three years – can you believe it?!
As we bounce back, new ideas emerge from the region and we thought a 1000km cycling challenge was a great idea! So to support regional development, we became the sponsor to Stage 3 of The Westfjords Way Challenge!
Challenge yourself, and sign up for next years edition. While you’re already here, why not come hike and kayak with us?
This year marks the launch of the Hornstrandir Film Festival. one of the most remote film festivals in the world!
This event screens films regarding climate change action and environmental hazards affecting us all. Our basecamp in Hornvík is an official screening location for the festival. Somehow we hosted a projector screening of multiple films, a sit down dinner, and director discussions focused on collaborative action and next steps! Oh and popcorn of course!
Follow along at HFF.com
Íris was built in 1983 by Brødrene Aa same as our other vessel Sif. She’s 16,8 meters long and is registered for 48 passengers. We put in new engines when we bought her and upgraded the navigation systems and other equipment on board for a comfortable journey.
Bjarmi, our previous boat, was returned back to the Norwegian fjords.
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Skútusiglingar ehf | Aðalstræti 17 | 400 Ísafjörður | Kt. 530306-1510 | VAT Number: 110291
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