THE BEGINNING

Everything began when the merchant Rones Olai Nilsen, bought Havnø as the island was called and moved here with his wife Marie Wulff, around 1870. Havnø was an island with a natural harbour, which was the reason why they chose to settle here.

They opened a shop, where the restaurant "Gadus" is today. They also built cabins where the fishermen stayed while they fished during the great "Lofot-fishing" in the winter. Even if the cabins gave warmth and a roof over their heads, most of the fishermen stayed in the boats, sleeping under the sails.

One of the original åttring named Spilbak is still in the family. We are sailing it in a regatta across the Vestfjord to Lofoten in spring. It was built in 1915 and is one of the last great åttring constructed before the motorized boats were common. Only a handful have survived until today.

Read more about the history when you arrive!

In the middle of the great "Lofot-fishing" in the 19th century, the harbour was covered with wooden fishing boats like "fembøring", "åttring", smaller boats and larger oceangoing cargo boats. The fish was landed in Hamnøy and left to dry on wooden racks called "hjeller". In the spring the stockfish was sailed to Bergen and then to Europe. The production also included salted cod, a popular ingredient in dishes around the world.