Fjord-bagging on the Astoria

On Tuesday, this week, I will be joining the CMV cruise ship Astoria, for a short trip to Norway.

The voyage is described by CMV as follows: ‘Cruising Norway’s breathtaking fjordland is a wonderful experience and one that is all the more special in this loveliest of seasons. You’ll enjoy a kaleidoscope of incredible images from gentle slopes, towering peaks capped in dazzling snow, remote mountain farms clinging to steep hillsides and dramatic waterfalls. Explore idyllic fjord villages and visit historic Bergen on what promises to be a magical voyage’.

Launched in 1946 as Stockholm, and carrying only 550 passengers at full capacity, it’s not only the smallest of Cruise and Maritime Voyages’ ocean-going fleet, but it is also the oldest ship I will have worked on. She was famous for a major ‘oops’ moment in 1956 when, as Stockholm, she collided with the Andrea Doria off Nantucket in Massachusetts, which stayed afloat for over 11 hours before finally sinking, making it one of America’s worst maritime disasters. Clearly made of sterner stuff, Astoria currently remains the world’s second oldest active oceangoing passenger ship after Sea Cloud.

Despite announcements that this would be Astoria’s final season, it was announced in February this year that the ship will remain in CMV’s service for a further season until 2018. Needless to say, I feel very honoured to have been invited along as art tutor for this voyage.

As well as a ‘Narvik Fjords’ basic washes session, I plan to teach folks how to paint the Northern Lights in watercolour (tough, but fun). We’ll also be painting a tonal study of Briksdal Glacier and having a go at  a line and wash of Bergen.

Bring on the fjords…