About the image “Archipelago”

LOCATION: Brattestø, Hvaler Islands, Viken county, Norway.

Oslo Fjord - an exciting kayaking adventure! Norway’s southeast coast is a first class destination for sea kayakers. Paddle through the dramatic Hvaler archipelago and discover hidden beaches, orange granite rocks. impressive seaside wildlife, and many picturesque fishing villages such as Papperhavn, Vikerhavn and Skjærhalden.

Imagine reaching small bays where the water is crystal clear, where the rocks are so smooth you’ll want to stay the night, and where you’ll float due to the salty waters. The rocky coast with its remote outer archipelago and sheltered inner islands is probably one of the most beautiful areas for sea kayaking in Norway.

One of the highlights in the Hvaler archipelago is the Ytre Hvaler National Park. Norway’s first national marine park. It’s home to around 12,000 species, both above and below the surface. The park includes the Tisler Reef, a cold water coral reef. The Tisler Reef is the largest known coral reef in sheltered waters in Europe, and is located near the island of Tisler.

Ytre Hvaler National Park is a national park located within the municipalities of Hvaler and Fredrikstad. The park was established on 26 June 2009 and was the first national marine park in the country of Norway. Ytre Hvaler is mostly a marine park, covering the outer parts of the skerries of the east shore of Oslofjord. To the south, the national park´s boundaries lie on the Norway–Sweden border next to Kosterhavet National Park. Ytre Hvaler covers an area of 354 km2, of which 340 km2 is sea and 14 km2 is land.

Settlements in the area may have been as old as the Bronze Age. The park is dominated by the coastal culture which has used the area for centuries, resulting in it including boathouses for fishing. Akerøya was settled between 1682 and 1807. There are more than 50 shipwrecks in the park, the most prominent being the Danish frigate HDMS Lossen which was lost during the Christmas Flood of 1717.

Within the park are two lighthouses: Torbjørnskjær and Homlungen, both of which are operated by the Norwegian Coastal Administration. The islands remain in use for grazing.