In terms of weather, sea state, accessibility and general surroundings, the southeastern part of Norway – the area facing the Skagerrak including the Oslo Fjord – is an almost Mediterranean affair compared to the much rougher western coast. The rather lush coastline is protected by islands, and a landfall in either Mandal or Kristiansand is possible in all states of tide and weather. Night sailing between the islands is not recommended, however, since many of the excellent finger buoys are unlit. This is a safe and pleasant day sailing, provided one has a good chart and familiarises oneself with the unfamiliar but excellent Norwegian buoyage system. The coast guard employs around the clock, very reliable and very friendly VHF network directly linked to the local telephone system.

A series of excellent Norwegian yearly pilots covering the complete Norwegian coast by region can be bought for a few dollars per volume in any major harbour. Written in Norwegian, but major ports have an English translation. This is by far the cheapest and safest way to get up to date and reliable information. Unfortunately, these pilots are not for sale outside Norway. Charts are available from www.nautisk.com

Finally, it might be worth stating that Norway is not part of the EU which means that the now standard European entry and tax formalities do not apply. Prices are generally high as per the rest of Scandinavia; agrifood, alcohol, tobacco are at a higher cost than rest of Scandinavia due to tax. Duty-free diesel (not intended for cars) can be bought at any gas station.

Boating equipment is low priced compared to the rest of Scandinavia. Moss, Arendal and Oslo are very good spots for equipment as are most of the cities by the coast.