Everwhere we look there are Sheties! If you head up to the street to get a paper you meet in with kent faces,"Aye Aye boy is dis you!" and down on the waterfront you are weaving in and out of hame folk like it was Commercial Street! Today started off cloudy so no change there fae hame. But as the day went on the sun came out again and we soaked up its warming rays. The people here are very friendly and helpful. The atmosphere is reminesent of of the Tall Ships in Lerwick. Like Lerwick, Alesund is big enough to accomodate the fleet while at the same time being small enough to have that special quality that makes a body feel welcome.

We have a excellent berth here right in the center of all that is happening and there is a neverending stream of spectators and sailors alike passing along our starboard side. Some stop to look and point out the particular way a block is slung or a halyard rigged while the children will ask for the ships stamp to make its mark in their copy of the official race programme. In a area where 30% of Norways total export of fish comes from the locals are obviously well aquaint with old fishing boats and how they are rigged. On the quay beside us two men are selling torfisk, dried cod. From a wheelbarrow big enough to hold half our ships crew they pull out rock hard lengths of wind dried cod and with a viking sized axe proceed to batter the hell out of it on a big pine bench. There is a willing market for their wares and many a krone has changed hands over the barrow handles since they wheeled in this morning.

The musicians were out on deck earlier on and played a session which drew a crowd around us. There is nothing like music for drawing a crowd and while the crowd had passed a number of buskers on the pier they stopped to listen to the Shetland tunes coming from the Swans decks. The crew parade was today. Shetland and the Swan were well repesented. The fiddle players music was cut short though when a water bomb burst over Stewarts fiddle. He thinks it will survive once he ouze's it out. Salt fish and tatties for tea. A new taste for Pauline and Brian although they seemed to take to Shetland cooking.