Flekkefjord Inner Leads

About This Anchorage

The inner leads approaching Flekkefjord offer a spectacular introduction to Norwegian fjord cruising for sailors coming from the south coast. Hidra island, which almost blocks the entrance to Flekkefjord, creates a sheltered inner archipelago with numerous coves and arms radiating inland. The landscape shifts here from the low, granite-skerry character of eastern Sørlandet to steeper, more mountainous terrain with forested slopes reaching down to the water — a foretaste of the great fjords to the north. Flekkefjord town at the head of the fjord is known as 'Little Amsterdam' for its Dutch-influenced trading history.

Hazards

• !Depths increase rapidly in the inner fjord — anchor only at the heads of subsidiary arms where depths are manageable; the main fjord channel is too deep (50–100m) for anchoring
• !Shore line mandatory: steep terrain and sudden wind shifts in fjord arms make anchoring without a stern line unsafe
• !Crab pots and nets in the outer approaches to Hidra — proceed slowly and watch for floats
• !Katabatic night winds possible in the inner fjord arms in warm summer weather — a light overnight downslope wind is normal and manageable

Skipper's Tips

• →The Flekkefjord canal (Sira-Kvina waterway) gives access northward by small boat — an unusual through-route not available elsewhere on the south coast
• →Hidra island road: land the dinghy and explore the island by foot — a circular walk gives outstanding views of the entire fjord system
• →Anchoring tip: in narrow fjord arms, drop anchor in 8–12m and run two stern lines ashore at 45° angles to the cliff — this controls both swing and fore/aft movement
• →Flekkefjord town 'Hollenderbyen' (Dutch quarter): remarkable Dutch-influenced 18th-century wooden warehouses along the canal are worth the fjord sail inland

Nearby Anchorages