– Everything looked pretty good until 12 o’clock yesterday. Then the outriggers started to break. When we came back it was the way it is now, says boat owner Martin Swensson. Broken wooden beams float around his catamaran. Several outriggers, the parts of the floating jetty that are supposed to lie between the boats and make it possible to get on board, have come loose and twisted. Boats are secured with straps. The tarpaulin is broken on some of the boats, the sails on others Plankbiter and plastic bags in the water. The storm that ravaged northern Norway on Monday has left its mark. The wind took both roofs, outhouses and barns. In the harbor of Bodø, everything is about securing as many boats as possible and the jetty before part 2 of the storm thunders over the city. And it can get ugly, according to meteorologist Eirin Ristesund. You don’t mess with “Ingunn” – We have sent out a warning about extreme weather, which has been named “Ingunn”, says Ristesund. And that’s a lady you shouldn’t joke with. The worst wind is from Stad and up to Bodø. It is currently uncertain whether the storm will hit Lofoten, Vesterålen and the southernmost part of Troms. – How bad will it be? – There is a storm center out in the Barents Sea that is coming thundering towards the coast. On Wednesday, wind gusts of up to 50 meters per second are expected in parts of Trøndelag and Helgeland. The meteorologists have issued a red warning. Locally extreme wind gusts of 35–50 meters per second are expected from the south, later southwest, and a hurricane on the coast. The wind will increase first at Stad, and decrease last at Nordmøre For Nordland’s part, the storm will start on Wednesday evening. Then the wind comes in from the southwest, and quickly rises into a strong storm. During the night to Thursday, the wind turns due west, which may reach short-term hurricane force, in combination with precipitation and wet snow. Ristesund says that the coastal and fjord areas are most at risk. LITTLE TRAFFIC: Most boats and ships in Bodø docked on Tuesday morning. Photo: Petter Strøm / news – The problem is that this westerly wind will blow further into the country. This means that areas that are not necessarily as used to wind can also get strong winds. If not a hurricane, then in any case a full storm and a strong storm, says the meteorologist. In Bodø it will be worst between 03 and 04 on the night of Thursday. The wind will persist until Thursday morning. There is a wall of snow and wind with hurricane force. Before it slowly but surely calms down in the afternoon. – It will be much worse than what we have had in the last two days. Use the weather windows you get to tie down what you have. It will be very tough for Nordland, says Ristesund. This presents major challenges for boat and harbor owners in Rønvik Harbor and Marina. MUST MAKE A PLAN: Daniel Laberg (left) talks to Martin Swensson about what to do with Swensson’s boat, which is located in Rønvik Harbor and Marina. Photo: Petter Strøm / news – Just hold on tight – If this outrigger breaks, there will be a domino effect. Then my boat also smokes, says Swensson. – We have to get something done. Daniel Laberg, an operations worker at Bodø Harbour, is also concerned. PREVIOUSLY UNDAMAGED: Martin Swensson’s boat is currently undamaged. Photo: Petter Strøm / news On Monday, they worked hard to salvage boats and minimize damage to the plant. – There were many people who took part, boaters who didn’t really have any ownership of any of the boats, but who just helped us, because it was so precarious to get something done right away. We had many boats that were on a trip away and boats that had been punched in, he says. When the wind will now turn and blow even more strongly, Laberg is excited about the outcome. A LOT OF WORK: Daniel Laberg and the rest of the gang in Bodø Havn have a lot to do before the storm hits on the night of Thursday. Photo: Petter Strøm / news – Then the wind will push the boats towards the quay. It will be a challenge. We have to do a job to avoid them being left behind and attacking the facility here. The plan is, among other things, to have new fenders laid out to attach the outriggers and the boats. – Then we really just have to hang on and see what happens, says Laberg. Martin Swensson wonders if he should move the boat to another port in the city that is not as exposed to the wind that will arrive on Thursday. – Yesterday it was out of the question to move the boat. It is not optimal to do it today either, but maybe there will be an opening tomorrow. CLAIMANT: The employees of Bodø Harbor are trying to get an overview of the damage to the facility in Rønvik. Photo: Petter Strøm / news
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– It will be much worse than the last two days – news Nordland
