Sailing the Fjords: Romsa islands

Natural harbour/visitor pier, Sea chart, The Outdoor Counsel (No.), Visit Sunnhordland

59°40,110’N 05°44,630’E. Romsa consist of several islands in Bjoafjorden, north of Ølen, not far from Skånevik. Romsa has a beautiful countryside and is a recreation area with several well kept guest harbours. Budget accommodation is available trough the so-called “Kystleden” (No.) – a system of self-service fjord cabins. Vinjehuset, 8 beds or Øreviknaustet, 6-8 beds. Taraldsøya northeast of Romsa, towards Skånevik, is also recommended.

Norwegian summery/Norsk sammendrag:
Romsa består av flere øyer i Bjoafjorden, nord av Ølen, ikke langt fra Skånevik. Romsa har et vakkert lanskap og er et populært friområde med flere velholdte gjestebrygger. Her er til og med mulig å leie seg billig overnatting som en del av den såkalte "Kystleden", et system av selvbetjente fjordhytter, se lenker over. Taraldsøya norøst av Romsa, mot Skånevik, kan også anbefales.

Sailing logger Nortun AE 87 of Stavanger, privately owned yacht, passing the Romsa sound. View from Litla Romsa (Nautøy) towards Stora Romsa.

Our stay at Romsa was sort of accidental. We are in the Fitjar arcipelago, but scared by the weather forecast predicting strong headwind the next day, we leave our sunny spot far to early, heading south in the direction of Skånevik – the pearl of Sunnhordland –, where we have planed to visit friends during the famous Skånevik blues festival. Unfortunately, although the weather is nice, there is little sign of the customary sunwise breeze. First we try to sail, but it only results in a miserable lurching due to passing boats. The outboard is lowered, and we say goodbye to this boating paradise in a comfortable speed of five knots. Soon we enter Stokksundet, and from here the rest is simply child’s play – we think at first. The problem is that Stokksundet is rather outstretched, and after two hours with the engine “in my ears” – the new bridges connecting Bømlo to the island Stord, is still seen far ahead. Unfortunately, the skipper has miscalculated the distance. The evening is about to set in and the skipper’s wife is already bored. I could have put down in the journal, like old captain Arntzen from Stavanger did while crossing the oceans: During all this time, nothing happened worth mentioning. After yet another hour, the second mate turns in. There is no possibility of reaching Skånevik, so I start figuring out a good anchorage. It is already dusk when the boat cuts it way through the wide, glassy Bjoafjorden. I go for the narrow Bjøllebøvågen, south on Borgundøya. At idle speed we glide into the opening, and immediately hit an underwater rock, misinterpreted in the chart as a insignificant stain. But luckily, no damage done. A cabin cruiser is already moored at the head of the cove, but we find the place a bit to closed in. Instead we find a pontoon near the opening, an Outdoor Counsel-pontoon, it’ll turn out to be, when a tugboat wake us the next morning. The Outdoor Counsel have put some repairs on their working plan this day, and we have to leave in haste. But this is a blessing in disguise, since the nearest place to eat our breakfast is Romsa only one nautical mile to the south.

Haukelandstunet, Stora Romsa.

Vinjehuset, Stora Romsa.

As we approach Roma from the north, the forecasted gale has already started to build up from the south. A whole lot of boats have already assembled along the guest piers at Grindanes, situated in the largest cove on the northern shore. We skip this crowd, and try the next cove, Gamlehamn (The old port) – but the stone jetty there isn’t the most attractive although we are alone here and the surrounding landscape is inviting. We decide to round the islands – Stora Romsa – and get under cover in the northern cove of Litla Roma, Here we go alongside and decide to stay until the next day. A family from Etne with 17 children (at least they seems to be that many), have stayed here several days already and have even put up small tents on the pier, alongside theyr odd, discarded tug of a boat. From here we have a nice view to the wide Romsa sound surrounded by the Romsa islands. Near the pier there is a grillroom, built with voluntary work, and a stone’s throw away, a toilet. After some hours, a huge motorboat from Bergen arrives with a smart couple and their bored, only child. After a while he is saved by one of the seventeen, swarming around with no interests of differences regarding positions and social classes, if he can only catch a fish or get time to another swim.

Matretunet, Litla Romsa (Nautøy).

The guest harbour at Grindanes, Stora Romsa.

Romsa is in every possible way a boating paradise. On the two main islands, Stora Romsa in the north and Litla Romsa (Nautøy) in the south, it is always possible to find a sheltered cove, no matter in what direction the wind blows. The islands have no less than eight jetties; two grill huts and one boathouse – all public and free of charge. If you like to move your body, the landscape is beautiful and with old footpaths and trails leading to several old and charming houses. Some of these you may rent at a fair price. On the eastern part of Store Romsa, you’ll also find Kristornskogen – the holly forest – Norway’s biggest holly nature reserve.

In the 1900th century Romsa had no less than nine farms, and 67 islanders were living her. The island had a school, a post office and a regular ferry connection. After the war, all this changed and the islands were turned into a spruce seed growing area. The spruce came to dominate the landscape, but the project was a failure. In 1990 the islands achieved status as a recreation area drifted by The Outdoor Department, in collaboration with several other organisations. In 1996-97 much of the spruce forest were cut down. The intention was to restore the former cultivated land, and sheep are now gracing to keep the scrub down.

Our own stay at Romsa is a rather lacy one. The wind is realy strong, and we are glad to be in a safe berth. We relax in the boat, contemplate this huge family from Etne, and stroll around the island a couple of times. Some days later, leaving Skånevik after the annual blues festival, we ones again take a pause at Romsa, but this time at Store Romsa and the guest pontoons at Grindaneset. Here several boats are gathered as usual. So, the guest harbours at Romsa is not the place to make fast if solitude is your priority. And when the evening sets in, if not already invited, for sure you are welcome in the grill hut – made for everyone as they are.