Ribboats in Norwegian Fjords

[fortunatetail]

Planning Norwegian Fjord cruise in July (Windstar-Star Pride). Some of the shore excursions offer Ribboat trips up into the fjords and are listed as 'moderate to strenuous activity.'

What could be strenuous? Is it hard to get in and out??

 

 

[Nitemare]

They go fast over waves and are quite "bouncy".  You have to hold on to grips or a rope to make sure you aren't tossed over and you can get wet

[dfish]

I did a RIB adventure in Geiranger about six months after a hip fracture.  The most strenuous part was walking from the shed where we put on our wind/waterproof suits to the dock.  I thought it was a real thrill and would do it again in a heartbeat!

[kaisatsu]

It depends on how they load, how fast they go, and how experienced the driver is.

 

In open water, there is a significant amount of movement due to waves, so it can be challenging (and wet) to hold on to the ropes when the boat is moving quickly. However, within the fjords, the water is generally quite calm, which usually means a much smoother ride.

 

Similarly, boarding a RIB boat in choppy waves or high swells can be extremely challenging and is one of the biggest mobility issues in expedition cruising (where you're boarding the RIB boat directly from a ship, so both are moving independently). On a land-based excursion within the fjords, you'll almost certainly board the boat from a dock or from shore, and with the calm water, this is unlikely to be an issue.

 

The only thing I can think of that could be challenging in fjord conditions is if you have a very inexperienced RIB boat driver and are traveling at a high speed. A good driver can adjust conditions such that the boat will almost hydroplane, allowing it to travel quite fast while still providing a very smooth ride, where passengers barely need to hold on. A less talented driver will see the boat bouncing up and down as it travels over the water, and this requires the occupants to hold tightly on to the side ropes to maintain their positions.