{"id":5724,"date":"2020-05-11T12:00:35","date_gmt":"2020-05-11T12:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/?post_type=aktiviteter&#038;p=5724"},"modified":"2025-09-01T11:04:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T11:04:13","slug":"take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier","status":"publish","type":"aktiviteter","link":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktiviteter\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/","title":{"rendered":"Take a boat journey to the edge of the mighty \u00d8ksfjordj\u00f8kelen Glacier"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-vnn-ingress\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"vnn__ingress\">\n\t\t\t\tA plunge of almost 1,000 metres, filled with blue ice and meltwater rivers, is a frighteningly beautiful sight. Join us on a boat trip into the J\u00f8kelfjord to the only place on the European mainland where a glacier calves into the sea.\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n<p>With a steady hand, Synn\u00f8ve guides her RIB boat up the calm waters of the fjord. I keep getting glimpses of the glacier as we move along, but wonder to myself whether this glacier business isn\u2019t maybe a bit overhyped. But when she turns off the outboard motor and lets us glide in towards the glacier, I can only gape in amazement. High up there I can see the blue ice with huge ice clumps destined to come crashing down at some point during the season. From the blue ice above, a waterfall cascades down to Nerisen, the part of the glacier which reaches almost right down to the sea. Nerisen is full of blue ice clumps from the main glacier, and has big holes with foaming glacier rivers beneath. The sound of rushing waterfalls fills the silence between the steep mountainsides; otherwise all we can hear are the terns on the great boulders in front of the glacier.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"metas-in-two-columns alignwide wp-block-vnn-activity-metas\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-vnn-activity-meta-parent\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"vnn__activity-meta-item\">\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M24 15c0-.2-.2-.4-.4-.5-2.8-1.4-6.2-1.4-9 .1-1.2.7-1.9 1.6-2.1 2.6-.2 1 .1 2.1.9 3.3-.4.7-.8 1.5-1.2 2.5-.2.4 0 .8.4 1 .1 0 .2.1.3.1.3 0 .6-.2.7-.5.3-.6.5-1.2.8-1.7.6.8 1.7 1.9 3.2 1.9h.3c3.3-.3 4.2-3.4 4.9-5.7.3-1 .6-2 1-2.5.2-.1.2-.3.2-.6zm-2.6 2.7c-.8 2.6-1.5 4.4-3.6 4.6-1.3.1-2.2-1.3-2.5-1.8 1.2-1.4 2.2-1.6 2.3-1.6.4-.1.7-.4.6-.8-.1-.4-.4-.7-.8-.7-.1 0-1.5.2-3 1.8-.4-.6-.5-1.2-.4-1.8.1-.6.6-1.2 1.3-1.6 2.1-1.1 4.6-1.2 6.8-.4-.2.8-.5 1.5-.7 2.3z\"\/><path d=\"M13.3 6.1c2.5.6 4.3 2.6 4.6 5.2 0 .4.4.7.8.7s.7-.4.7-.8C19 8 16.7 5.4 13.6 4.7c-4-.9-8.1 1.6-9 5.6-.4 2-.1 4 1 5.7 1.1 1.7 2.7 2.9 4.7 3.3h.2c.3 0 .7-.2.7-.6.1-.4-.2-.8-.6-.9-1.6-.4-2.9-1.3-3.7-2.7s-1.1-3-.8-4.5c.8-3.2 4-5.2 7.2-4.5zM12 3c.4 0 .8-.3.8-.8V.8c0-.5-.4-.8-.8-.8s-.8.3-.8.8v1.5c0 .4.4.7.8.7zM18.9 5.9c.2 0 .4-.1.5-.2l1.1-1.1c.3-.3.3-.8 0-1.1-.3-.3-.8-.3-1.1 0l-1.1 1.1c-.3.3-.3.8 0 1.1.2.1.4.2.6.2zM4.6 18.4l-1.1 1c-.3.3-.3.8 0 1.1.1.1.3.2.5.2s.4-.1.5-.2l1.1-1c.3-.3.3-.8 0-1.1-.2-.3-.7-.3-1 0zM2.2 11.2H.8c-.5 0-.8.4-.8.8s.3.8.8.8h1.5c.4 0 .7-.4.7-.8s-.3-.8-.8-.8zM4.6 5.6c.1.1.3.2.5.2s.4-.1.5-.2c.3-.3.3-.8 0-1.1l-1-1c-.3-.3-.8-.3-1.1 0s-.3.8 0 1.1l1.1 1z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"vnn-activity-meta-item-title\">Season<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<p class=\"vnn-activity-meta-item-content\">Summer &#8211; Autumn<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"vnn__activity-meta-item\">\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M19 7.5l.9-.9c.1.1.2.1.3.1.2 0 .4-.1.5-.2.3-.3.3-.8 0-1.1l-.4-.4-.3-.3c-.3-.3-.8-.3-1.1 0-.2.2-.3.6-.1.9l-.9.9c-1.5-1.2-3.3-1.8-5.2-2v-3h1.5c.4 0 .8-.3.8-.8s-.3-.7-.8-.7H9.8c-.5 0-.8.3-.8.8s.3.8.8.8h1.5v3c-2.4.1-4.5 1.1-6.2 2.8-3.8 3.8-3.8 10 0 13.8C7 23 9.5 24 12 24s5-1 6.9-2.9c3.7-3.7 3.8-9.8.1-13.6zm-1.2 12.6c-3.2 3.2-8.4 3.2-11.7 0-3.2-3.2-3.2-8.5 0-11.7C7.7 6.9 9.8 6 12 6s4.3.9 5.8 2.4c3.3 3.2 3.3 8.5 0 11.7z\"\/><path d=\"M8.8 10.3c-.3-.3-.7-.3-1.1 0-.3.3-.3.8-.1 1.1l3.8 4.1c.1.2.4.2.6.2.2 0 .4-.1.5-.2.3-.3.3-.8.1-1.1l-3.8-4.1z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"vnn-activity-meta-item-title\">Duration<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<p class=\"vnn-activity-meta-item-content\">Around 45 min<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><div class=\"vnn-map wp-block-vnn-activity-meta-map\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\thref={`https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/search\/?api=1&#038;query=70.122946029793,22.062684686681`}\n\t\t\t\t\ttarget=\"_blank\"\n\t\t\t\t\trel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tstrokeWidth=\"2\" strokeLinecap=\"round\" strokeLinejoin=\"round\" className=\"feather feather-maximize-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<polyline points=\"15 3 21 3 21 9\"><\/polyline>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<polyline points=\"9 21 3 21 3 15\"><\/polyline>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<line x1=\"21\" y1=\"3\" x2=\"14\" y2=\"10\"><\/line>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<line x1=\"3\" y1=\"21\" x2=\"10\" y2=\"14\"><\/line>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"activity-meta-map\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-location-lat=\"70.122946029793\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-location-long=\"22.062684686681\"\n\t\t\t\tid=\"kkfkhmq8zo2zkko7n0gy64\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-vnn-gallery gallery-count-4\">\n\t\t<ul><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/07f0599806730127cde8c693c21adf10.jpg\" data-size=\"1200x803\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">01<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/07f0599806730127cde8c693c21adf10.jpg\" alt=\"The glacier from afar \u00a9 Knut Hansvold\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/07f0599806730127cde8c693c21adf10.jpg\" data-caption=\"The glacier from afar \u00a9 Knut Hansvold\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/4d2858ad247edaca8229dd3f17d4b864.jpg\" data-size=\"803x1200\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">02<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/4d2858ad247edaca8229dd3f17d4b864-768x1148.jpg\" alt=\"You can&#039;t get too close, large chunks of ice can fall off the glacier and crash into the sea below at any time \u00a9 Knut Hansvold\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/4d2858ad247edaca8229dd3f17d4b864.jpg\" data-caption=\"You can&#039;t get too close, large chunks of ice can fall off the glacier and crash into the sea below at any time \u00a9 Knut Hansvold\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/a6a551badf25a6f42631e4548c1b49ea.jpg\" data-size=\"803x1200\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">03<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/a6a551badf25a6f42631e4548c1b49ea-768x1148.jpg\" alt=\"You can see ice and water gushing onto the ice from above \u00a9 Knut Hansvold\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/a6a551badf25a6f42631e4548c1b49ea.jpg\" data-caption=\"You can see ice and water gushing onto the ice from above \u00a9 Knut Hansvold\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/bd687bbe0a525a65ac627e68070a8e95.jpg\" data-size=\"803x1200\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">04<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/bd687bbe0a525a65ac627e68070a8e95-768x1148.jpg\" alt=\"In the summer the ice can look dirty due to the huge amount of sediment released when melting \u00a9 Knut Hansvold\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/bd687bbe0a525a65ac627e68070a8e95.jpg\" data-caption=\"In the summer the ice can look dirty due to the huge amount of sediment released when melting \u00a9 Knut Hansvold\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><\/ul><div class=\"vnn-gallery-figcaptions\"><figcaption>01: The glacier from afar \u00a9 Knut Hansvold<\/figcaption><figcaption>02: You can&#039;t get too close, large chunks of ice can fall off the glacier and crash into the sea below at any time \u00a9 Knut Hansvold<\/figcaption><figcaption>03: You can see ice and water gushing onto the ice from above \u00a9 Knut Hansvold<\/figcaption><figcaption>04: In the summer the ice can look dirty due to the huge amount of sediment released when melting \u00a9 Knut Hansvold<\/figcaption><\/div>\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The looming blue ice is eye-catching<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Synn\u00f8ve points out, high above us, the next ice mountain due to hit the fjord; she talks of where the reindeer swim across the fjord in spring on the way to their summer grazing grounds, and she tells the story of the wartime evacuees in 1944. And yet it is the sight of the blue ice high above that catches the eye. Even when, with practised hand, she turns the boat round and sets off again slowly, I can\u2019t manage to drag my eyes away from the glacier; it is every bit as breath-taking at a distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The glacier sheds into the sea<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The J\u00f8kelfjordbreen Glacier is the only glacier on the European mainland that calves down to the sea. This is because of the special topography in the area. At the head of the J\u00f8kelfjord, the rock wall rises more or less vertically to a height of 8-900 metres (2,625-2,950 ft), right up to where the winter snow never has time to thaw during the summer. Now, when the glacier spreads outwards, clumps of ice of all sizes plummet over the edge and out into the sea. Some lie like great blue clumps on Nerisen, while others crash into the fjord and create tsunami waves that sweep away small boats on the land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The glacier was once a giant in the fjord <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>From photographs taken at the end of the 19th century, we can see that the J\u00f8kelfjordbreen Glacier is one consecutive tongue of ice that stretches right out into the fjord and forms a 10-15 metre-high glacier front. We also see large boulders sticking up from the fjord even further out, which stem from earlier terminal moraine. Now, however, the glacier has retreated a little, and the connection between the main glacier and the little glacier tongue that goes down to the fjord has been broken. Glaciers grow and shrink, and at the moment they are shrinking. The main glacier here, though, is one of the most stable in Norway.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-vnn-gallery gallery-count-3\">\n\t\t<ul><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/93c07adb3018b4954c417337e7c8f173.jpg\" data-size=\"1200x803\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">01<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/93c07adb3018b4954c417337e7c8f173.jpg\" alt=\"Blue ice looming above the sharp cliff face down to the sea \u00a9 Knut Hansvold\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/93c07adb3018b4954c417337e7c8f173.jpg\" data-caption=\"Blue ice looming above the sharp cliff face down to the sea \u00a9 Knut Hansvold\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC00159.jpg\" data-size=\"1067x800\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">02<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC00159-768x576.jpg\" alt=\"Up close and personal with the glacier \u00a9 Synatur\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC00159.jpg\" data-caption=\"Up close and personal with the glacier \u00a9 Synatur\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/IMG_1026.jpg\" data-size=\"1067x800\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">03<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/IMG_1026-768x576.jpg\" alt=\"It looks perhaps most spectacular from afar \u00a9 Synatur\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/IMG_1026.jpg\" data-caption=\"It looks perhaps most spectacular from afar \u00a9 Synatur\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><\/ul><div class=\"vnn-gallery-figcaptions\"><figcaption>01: Blue ice looming above the sharp cliff face down to the sea \u00a9 Knut Hansvold<\/figcaption><figcaption>02: Up close and personal with the glacier \u00a9 Synatur<\/figcaption><figcaption>03: It looks perhaps most spectacular from afar \u00a9 Synatur<\/figcaption><\/div>\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u00d8ksfjordj\u00f8kelen moves by 1cm a day<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The \u00d8ksfjordj\u00f8kelen Glacier \u2013 in Sami called \u00c1k\u0161ovunjiehkki \u2013 covers an area of 43 km2 (26 sq. miles), and is currently the eighth largest glacier in Norway. Barely half of it is in Kv\u00e6nangen in Troms, while the rest is in Loppa in Finnmark. The highest point, 1,204 metres (3,950 ft) above sea level, is also the highest point in Finnmark. The glacier lies in a mountain mass between the fjord, Kv\u00e6nangen, and the \u00d8ksfjord, and captures the rainclouds from over the sea. At a height of 1,000 metres (3,280 ft), the snow falls here in such huge quantities in winter that it never has time to thaw in summer. The glacier moves at a rate of about one centimetre a day, which is reckoned to be very fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Ice industry relied upon J\u00f8kelfjord ice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before the advent of the modern freezer, the ice in the J\u00f8kelfjord was a valuable resource. Three gangs of men worked 24 hours a day in summer extracting ice from the glacier. The ice was slid down a chute right on board the waiting boats, which supplied the entire fishing industry in Northern Norway with ice. It could be a dangerous business; one could quite literally get a mountain of ice on one\u2019s head. This is why there was always someone standing watch to keep an eye on the ice. The industry lasted only until the mid-1950s, however, when freezer technology made ice from the J\u00f8kelfjord redundant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Evacuation from beneath the ice was for the best <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the autumn of 1944, Kv\u00e6nangen, together with the rest of Northern Troms, was forcibly evacuated by the German occupying forces. However, the inhabitants of J\u00f8kelfjord followed the encouragement of the Norwegian government in exile in London to escape from the evacuation. They sat up gammer (Sami turf huts) right beneath the glacier. The farm animals were kept further out in the fjord, so there was a very long way to get to the animals for milking. The people of J\u00f8kelfjord thought the Allies were just round the corner, and that they would be able to return home in a week or two. Instead, they were discovered quite by chance, and forcibly evacuated southwards via Troms\u00f8. This may have been all to the best, as only a few days after they were forced to leave their hiding place a gigantic block of ice fell into the water, which would probably have killed all the fugitives.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-vnn-gallery gallery-count-3\">\n\t\t<ul><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/P9050344.jpg\" data-size=\"1067x800\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">01<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/P9050344.jpg\" alt=\"Fishing tours also offered in the fjord \u00a9 Synatur\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/P9050344.jpg\" data-caption=\"Fishing tours also offered in the fjord \u00a9 Synatur\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC00137.jpg\" data-size=\"600x800\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">02<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC00137.jpg\" alt=\"It is possible to take a tour onto the glacier itself \u00a9 Synatur\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/DSC00137.jpg\" data-caption=\"It is possible to take a tour onto the glacier itself \u00a9 Synatur\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/H\u00f8yeste-punkt-nermer-seg-1.jpg\" data-size=\"1067x800\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">03<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/H\u00f8yeste-punkt-nermer-seg-1-768x576.jpg\" alt=\"On top of the glacier \u00a9 Synatur\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/H\u00f8yeste-punkt-nermer-seg-1.jpg\" data-caption=\"On top of the glacier \u00a9 Synatur\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><\/ul><div class=\"vnn-gallery-figcaptions\"><figcaption>01: Fishing tours also offered in the fjord \u00a9 Synatur<\/figcaption><figcaption>02: It is possible to take a tour onto the glacier itself \u00a9 Synatur<\/figcaption><figcaption>03: On top of the glacier \u00a9 Synatur<\/figcaption><\/div>\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Join a tour to the \u00d8ksfjordj\u00f8kelen<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a aria-label=\"Synatur  (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.synatur.no\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Synatur <\/a>in J\u00f8kelfjorden runs guided boat trips by appointment every day throughout the summer. The programme is a flexible one: when guests come, they organise a trip. It all takes no more than an hour. During the trip, you will hear about the more recent history of the glacier with the transport of ice for the fishing industry, and about the place where the people hid from the Germans during the war-time evacuation.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is also the option of hiring a kayak and paddling in to the glacier, or joining a photo safari tour of J\u00f8kelfjord. The kayaks used are of the \u201csit-on-top\u201d type, which can be used safely by everyone. Synatur and <a aria-label=\"Bre og vandring (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/sporguiding.no\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bre og vandring<\/a> also offer glacier hikes. Here you get to climb in glacier crevasses and see the fantastic fjord landscape from more than a thousand metres above the sea. These hikes need to be booked in advance. There is also a marked trail that goes into the J\u00f8kelfjord almost to the glacier. The last part is through rugged terrain full of scree, and is at your own risk. From the end of the marked trail there are fine views, however, and the whole hike takes 4-5 hours there and back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t<div class=\" alignwide wp-block-vnn-booking\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"vnn-booking__image\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Alta.png\" alt=\"\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"vnn-booking__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Visit Alta <\/h2>\n\n<p>For all the information you need about visiting the Alta region simply check out the Visit Alta webpage. <\/p>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button link-to-booking-provider-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/visitalta.no\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Click here<\/a><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-vnn-related\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"vnn-related__title\">Other information<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-vnn-related-link\">\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"vnn-related-link__holder\"\n\t\t\t\thref=\"http:\/\/book.visit-lyngenfjord.com\/no\/se-gjore\/1907142\/j\u00f8kelfjordbreen-explore-70-degrees\/showdetails\"\n\t\t\t\trel=\"\"\n\t\t\t\ttarget=\"\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M8.251 16.498a.752.752 0 0 1-.53-1.281l13.72-13.72h-4.939a.75.75 0 0 1 0-1.5h6.75a.735.735 0 0 1 .293.06.75.75 0 0 1 .4.404l.01.026a.73.73 0 0 1 .047.26v6.75a.75.75 0 0 1-1.5 0V2.559l-13.72 13.72a.75.75 0 0 1-.531.219z\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M2.251 23.998a2.252 2.252 0 0 1-2.25-2.25v-15a2.252 2.252 0 0 1 2.25-2.25h9a.75.75 0 0 1 0 1.5h-9a.75.75 0 0 0-.75.75v15c0 .414.336.75.75.75h15a.75.75 0 0 0 .75-.75v-9a.75.75 0 0 1 1.5 0v9a2.252 2.252 0 0 1-2.25 2.25h-15z\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"vnn-related-link__title\"\n\t\t\t\t\tVisit Lyngenfjord\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"vnn__byline vnn-grid has-author has-date has-tags\"><div class=\"vnn__byline-meta\"><div class=\"vnn__byline-author\">Written by arild<\/div><div class=\"vnn__byline-date\">May 11, 2020<\/div><div class=\"vnn__byline-date\">Last updated September 1, 2025<\/div><\/div><div class=\"vnn__byline-tags\"><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/experiences-and-activities\/?fwp_se-og-gjore=activities\" rel=\"tag\">Activities<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/experiences-and-activities\/?fwp_se-og-gjore=boat-tour\" rel=\"tag\">Boat tour<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/experiences-and-activities\/?fwp_omrder=alta\" rel=\"tag\">Alta<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/experiences-and-activities\/?fwp_sesonger=summer\" rel=\"tag\">Summer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"featured_media":8057,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"_searchwp_excluded":"","vnn_header_layout":"featured","vnn_header_layout_image_id":8057,"vnn_header_layout_image_focal_point_x":0.5,"vnn_header_layout_image_focal_point_y":0.5,"vnn_header_layout_description":"","vnn_header_layout_url":"","vnn_header_layout_url_text":"","vnn_header_layout_photographer":"","vnn_header_layout_video_id":"","vnn_header_layout_yt_id":"","vnn_header_layout_vimeo_id":"","teft_location_geodata_lat":70.123142128545,"teft_location_geodata_lng":22.064213622361,"teft_cards_image_id":8057,"teft_cards_image_focal_point_x":0.5,"teft_cards_image_focal_point_y":0.5,"teft_cards_title":"","teft_cards_excerpt":"","footnotes":""},"todo":[2,4180],"facilities":[],"season":[7],"region":[45],"malgrupper":[18],"class_list":["post-5724","aktiviteter","type-aktiviteter","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","todo-activities","todo-boat-tour","season-summer","region-alta","malgrupper-nature-lover"],"feature_media_url":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/07f0599806730127cde8c693c21adf10.jpg","vnn_map_marker_category":{"id":4180,"name":"Boat tour","slug":"boat-tour","icon":"","parentIcon":"","parent":"Activities"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.5 (Yoast SEO v25.3.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Take a boat journey to the edge of the mighty \u00d8ksfjordj\u00f8kelen Glacier - Visit Northern Norway<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A RIB boat tour in J\u00f8kelfjord gets you up close and personal to Europe&#039;s only sea terminating glacier, while you learn about local history from your guide.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktivitet\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Take a boat journey to the edge of the mighty \u00d8ksfjordj\u00f8kelen Glacier\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A RIB boat tour in J\u00f8kelfjord gets you up close and personal to Europe&#039;s only sea terminating glacier, while you learn about local history from your guide.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktivitet\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Visit Northern Norway\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NorthernNorway\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-09-01T11:04:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Alta.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/07f0599806730127cde8c693c21adf10.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@NorthernNorway\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktivitet\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktivitet\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/\",\"name\":\"Take a boat journey to the edge of the mighty \u00d8ksfjordj\u00f8kelen Glacier - Visit Northern Norway\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktivitet\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktivitet\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/07f0599806730127cde8c693c21adf10.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-05-11T12:00:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-09-01T11:04:13+00:00\",\"description\":\"A RIB boat tour in J\u00f8kelfjord gets you up close and personal to Europe's only sea terminating glacier, while you learn about local history from your guide.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktivitet\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktivitet\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktivitet\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/07f0599806730127cde8c693c21adf10.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/07f0599806730127cde8c693c21adf10.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktivitet\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Take a boat journey to the edge of the mighty \u00d8ksfjordj\u00f8kelen Glacier\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/\",\"name\":\"Visit Northern Norway\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Visit Northern Norway\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Logo_Vertikal_EN.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Logo_Vertikal_EN.png\",\"width\":2482,\"height\":1754,\"caption\":\"Visit Northern Norway\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NorthernNorway\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/NorthernNorway\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/northernnorway\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/nordnorsk-reiseliv-as\",\"https:\/\/no.pinterest.com\/northernnorway\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/VisitNorthernNorway\/\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Take a boat journey to the edge of the mighty \u00d8ksfjordj\u00f8kelen Glacier - Visit Northern Norway","description":"A RIB boat tour in J\u00f8kelfjord gets you up close and personal to Europe's only sea terminating glacier, while you learn about local history from your guide.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktivitet\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Take a boat journey to the edge of the mighty \u00d8ksfjordj\u00f8kelen Glacier","og_description":"A RIB boat tour in J\u00f8kelfjord gets you up close and personal to Europe's only sea terminating glacier, while you learn about local history from your guide.","og_url":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktivitet\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/","og_site_name":"Visit Northern Norway","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NorthernNorway","article_modified_time":"2025-09-01T11:04:13+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Alta.png","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_image":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/07f0599806730127cde8c693c21adf10.jpg","twitter_site":"@NorthernNorway","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktivitet\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/","url":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktivitet\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/","name":"Take a boat journey to the edge of the mighty \u00d8ksfjordj\u00f8kelen Glacier - Visit Northern Norway","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktivitet\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktivitet\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/07f0599806730127cde8c693c21adf10.jpg","datePublished":"2020-05-11T12:00:35+00:00","dateModified":"2025-09-01T11:04:13+00:00","description":"A RIB boat tour in J\u00f8kelfjord gets you up close and personal to Europe's only sea terminating glacier, while you learn about local history from your guide.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktivitet\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktivitet\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktivitet\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/07f0599806730127cde8c693c21adf10.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/07f0599806730127cde8c693c21adf10.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/aktivitet\/take-a-boat-journey-to-the-edge-of-the-mighty-oksfjordjokelen-glacier\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Take a boat journey to the edge of the mighty \u00d8ksfjordj\u00f8kelen Glacier"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/","name":"Visit Northern Norway","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#organization","name":"Visit Northern Norway","url":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Logo_Vertikal_EN.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Logo_Vertikal_EN.png","width":2482,"height":1754,"caption":"Visit Northern Norway"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NorthernNorway","https:\/\/x.com\/NorthernNorway","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/northernnorway\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/nordnorsk-reiseliv-as","https:\/\/no.pinterest.com\/northernnorway\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/VisitNorthernNorway\/"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/aktiviteter\/5724","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/aktiviteter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/aktiviteter"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/aktiviteter\/5724\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15219,"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/aktiviteter\/5724\/revisions\/15219"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5724"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"todo","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/todo?post=5724"},{"taxonomy":"facilities","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/facilities?post=5724"},{"taxonomy":"season","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/season?post=5724"},{"taxonomy":"region","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/region?post=5724"},{"taxonomy":"malgrupper","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/malgrupper?post=5724"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}