Sailing Sloops and Boat Building

“But sloops and smacks were the real life of the fjord, at every time of the year they came running before the wind, or cruising out, laden down with stone flags for the city and elsewhere, with piles of hazel barrels, with wood and with empty barrels too, skimming the water with its round bows. But what made the most impression were the sailing sloops when they came out the fjord, laden down inboard, erect, heavy and under way. With a long trail of brand new, oiled, six-oared and four-oared open boats and dinghies tied together - four or five together, they followed bobbing along like ducklings after their mother, and if the sloop was crossing, every bow had a long wait for the whole of the oil-yellow flock which slowly, jumping in the wave of the fjord wind trying to imitate the “mother’s” dancing. But occasionally when a sharp sloop with a pointed bow and good sails cut across bound for Nordland and the large fishes, all the 12 year old boys’ hearts stood along the beach yearning, with Robinson Crusoe in their gaze.”