A traditional Norwegian jekt cargo sailboat (1903)
In the twilight of an era - A traditional Norwegian jekt carrying stockfish from the Nordland region in 1903. My restoration and colorization of Th. Iversen´s image in the Norsk Folkemuseum archive.
The Norwegian Jekt Trade Museum in Bodø tells the story of the jekt trade, which died off in the end of the 19th century when steamers and the Coastal Express entered the scene:
"In the past, jekts (cargo sailboats) loaded with stockfish were more valuable to Norway than oil is today. The Norwegian Jekt Trade Museum in Bodø presents the last of the Nordland jekts, the Anna Karoline (not the ship shown in the photo here. FH), and tells the story of the stockfish export trade."
"200–300 years ago, more than 200 jekts delivered stockfish to Bergen over the summer season. Some even made several trips. This was a real lifesaver for the country’s economy. It is believed that more than 3000 jekts were built, but only one remains here in Northern Norway." --
"With a light load, the journey from Salten and Helgeland to Bergen took three to six days, and up to a fortnight was considered quick and easy. However, it was not unusual to spend a month or two en route, and the ship was too late in leaving Bergen in the autumn, crews would sometimes have to spend the winter in a calm fjord somewhere along the way. Sailing south, the ship would be heavily loaded with stockfish. The fish was often stacked in layers up along the mast, even. The jekts were not built to be agile sailers; they were built to carry as much freight as possible. This made life on board a cold, wet and often nauseating experience."
A traditional Norwegian jekt cargo sailboat (1903)
In the twilight of an era - A traditional Norwegian jekt carrying stockfish from the Nordland region in 1903. My restoration and colorization of Th. Iversen´s image in the Norsk Folkemuseum archive.
The Norwegian Jekt Trade Museum in Bodø tells the story of the jekt trade, which died off in the end of the 19th century when steamers and the Coastal Express entered the scene:
"In the past, jekts (cargo sailboats) loaded with stockfish were more valuable to Norway than oil is today. The Norwegian Jekt Trade Museum in Bodø presents the last of the Nordland jekts, the Anna Karoline (not the ship shown in the photo here. FH), and tells the story of the stockfish export trade."
"200–300 years ago, more than 200 jekts delivered stockfish to Bergen over the summer season. Some even made several trips. This was a real lifesaver for the country’s economy. It is believed that more than 3000 jekts were built, but only one remains here in Northern Norway." --
"With a light load, the journey from Salten and Helgeland to Bergen took three to six days, and up to a fortnight was considered quick and easy. However, it was not unusual to spend a month or two en route, and the ship was too late in leaving Bergen in the autumn, crews would sometimes have to spend the winter in a calm fjord somewhere along the way. Sailing south, the ship would be heavily loaded with stockfish. The fish was often stacked in layers up along the mast, even. The jekts were not built to be agile sailers; they were built to carry as much freight as possible. This made life on board a cold, wet and often nauseating experience."