I Took A Small Boat Near The Arctic And Realized I Could Do Anything

In response to Dancing Elephants prompt 37of 52

In the midst of the polar night season's chilly morning hours, I embarked on a ferry ride to reach the quaint village of Hønseby on Seiland Island. Prior to my journey, I had been exchanging emails with an individual I had met through the Visit Hammerfest website.

He said he didn’t normally do tours in the winter months, but he had to go out and feed some sheep that had wandered away. I didn’t really know what that entailed, but I agreed to go along.

He arranged for his nephew to accompany me to his home, where we would dress for the cold weather. Once I arrived, he and his wife provided me with extra mittens and a hat.

We drove over to a little shop on the island where I got to meet and feed reindeer!

They then fitted me to borrow a float suit, and we cleaned off the tiny boat. When they offered to take me out on the boat to look for sheep, I was picturing something a bit bigger.

During our four-hour adventure, my wonderful guide shared about Sami's history and life in Norway. He pointed out old houses and shared the story of what they used to be. Despite the cold, I learned so much about a culture with which I was fairly unfamiliar before.

We spent hours cruising on the icy water, soaking up the refreshing air and admiring the snow-capped mountains - a truly majestic sight. When we finally docked the boat, all I could hear was the peaceful sounds of nature.

He wasn’t sure if we would find the sheep because they would be hard to spot, but we eventually did! He hauled the bag of hay over his shoulder and climbed up the mountain to leave it for the sheep while his nephew kept the boat secure against the rocks.

After a tiring week of work and travel, I had the option of staying back at the hotel or exploring the town. Despite my exhaustion, I realized that this might be my only chance to visit such a beautiful place, so I decided to take a chance and go on an adventure. I am pleased to say that it was worth it.re. I am pleased to say that it was worth it. I am pleased to say that it was worth it.

I am thankful to my host for generously sharing their life story and cultural insights with me. The experience was truly unforgettable, pushing me to overcome fears and embrace bravery while also expanding my knowledge of different cultures and lifestyles.

Say yes to adventure.

This story was written in response to this prompt from Dr. Preeti Singh.