The fjords of Norway are a unique feature in the geography of the country. They are formed due to the collapse of the Ice sheet which covers the coastal area and connect the oceans to the land mass. When it melts, the sea water goes into the fresh water masses, carrying the freshwater to the coasts where it mixed with salt water. As a result of this movement of the fjords, the coastline receives a heavy amount of freshwater during the summer, while salty water flows to the north.
The fjords start from the coastal area extending inland. Their shape varies from the open pen of the ocean into tight mouth of the glacier. You can easily spot the fjords from the air or by taking a boat trip on the coastal area. From the sea, you can also notice that the coastline of Norway is mountainous. The Brackish Water flows into the sea passing through the coastal area, while the melt water from the ice formation forms islands and pen.
There are many fjord systems in Norway. The two most important ones are Skokkloster and Kvartermann. Both of them are located in the northern part of the country. Skokkloster is a series of fjord systems stretching for thousands of kilometers along the west coast of Norway. The longest of them is Egeir Bay where the fjord system ends.
While going through the fjords, you will see the difference in the orientation of the tilted water masses. The orientation of the water masses shift gradually due to seasonal currents and gravitational pull of the Moon. It means that the tidal areas are also changing and moving towards the North (or Northern) side of the Earth. These constant shifts in the orientation of the tidal water masses cause the tides.
The other type of fjord is Kvartermann. It is the third largest of the fjords. It starts from the southern tip of the Norwegian Coast and extends towards the sea. The most commonly explored and visited fjords of the west coast are Eskilstuna, Grasmund, Jokkmokk, Blydeand, Grimstad, Nordland, Saale, Egeir, Harstad, Svalbard, Dalir, and Skokkloster. These areas are popular among tourists for their scenic beauty as well as the unique landscape features.
My name is Joe Ambrose and I’m a passionate world traveller. A nomad in constant movement around our fantastic globe.