Vestfjorden

Vestfjorden, with Lofoten to the west and the mainland to the east

Vågakallen mountain and the Lofoten wall, view towards west.

Vestfjord seen from a mountain in Steigen, with the southern part of the Lofoten wall visible on the right

Vestfjord is a Norwegian fjord, which would be described as a firth or an open bight of sea between the Lofoten archipelago and mainland Norway, northwest of Bodø. The term fjord (from the old Norse fjördr meaning firth or inlet) is used more generally for bodies of water in the western Scandinavian languages than the more narrow usage assigned in English.

Vestfjord is famous for its cod fishery, which was exploited back to the early medieval period. More recently, the winter invasion of Orcas in the inner parts of Vestfjord has become a tourist attraction. Strong winds with heavy seas are not uncommon in Vestfjord in winter.

References

• The Geography of Norden, Editor Axel Sømme, Heinemann, London, 1960.
• A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, by Geir T. Soëga, Clarendon Press, 1910.
• A New Introduction to Old Norse, by Michael Barnes, University College, London, 1999 ISBN 0-903521-45-8

A calm summer day on Vestfjord