LOFOTEN ISLANDS (SVOLVÆR, HENNINGSVÆR, STAMSUND, REINE, MOSKSTRAUMEN), NORDLAND

Lofoten: boating safety

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Lofoten is a chain of mountainous islands in northern Norway, above the Arctic Circle, separated from the mainland by the open Vestfjorden. Svolvær is the main town and harbour; fishing villages such as Henningsvær, Stamsund and Reine offer small harbours. At the southwest tip lies Moskstraumen, a tidal current between Lofotodden and Mosken.

LIFE IN DANGER AT SEA
Call +47 75 55 90 00
Call JRCC Bodø on +47 75 55 90 00. On the radio: MAYDAY on VHF 16, or DSC on channel 70.

Norway: all rescue numbers → On the rescue map → Print an emergency card →

Harbour and marinas

Vågan Havnevesen KF (Svolvær harbour authority, Havneterminalen, Svolvær): phone 760 67 990, VHF channel 12/16. The harbour watch is manned Mon–Fri 08:00–15:30 and 17:00–22:30, weekends 17:00–22:30.

Vågan Havnevesen KF · Vågan Havnevesen KF · Vågan Havnevesen KF ▾
vaganhavn.no (2026-10-14): “Besøksadresse: Fiskgergata 23, Havneterminalen, Svolvær.”
vaganhavn.no (2026-10-14): “Telefon: 760 67 990 VHF Kanal: 12 / 16”
vaganhavn.no (2026-10-14): “Havnevakt Man-Fre 08.00-15.30 / 17.00-22.30 Lør 17.00-22.30 / Søn 17.00-22.30”

Stamsund (Vestvågøy) is run by Lofoten havn: VHF 12/16. Lofoten havn's duty phone for all Vestvågøy harbours is +47 416 55 920.

Lofoten havn · Kartverket – Den norske los (Stamsund) ▾
lofotenhavn.no (2026-10-14): “Vakttelefon alle havner Vestvågøy:+47 416 55 920”
dnl.kartverket.no (2026-10-14): “Kontakt Lofoten havn Adresse Telefon 416 55 920 Faks VHF 12,16”

Local rules

Norway has no single national speed limit for leisure boats: local limits vary by municipality (check the BåtFart app). The Coastal Administration recommends 5 knots within 100–500 m of land in sheltered recreational waters. The blood-alcohol limit for skippers of pleasure craft is 0.8.

Kystverket (Norwegian Coastal Administration) · Kystverket (Norwegian Coastal Administration) · Kystverket (Norwegian Coastal Administration) · Kystverket (Norwegian Coastal Administration) ▾
kystverket.no (2026-10-14): “Everyone travelling by sea must follow local speed restrictions. These will vary from municipality to municipality.”
kystverket.no (2026-10-14): “You can download the BåtFart app”
kystverket.no (2026-10-14): “the Norwegian Coastal Administration recommends a local speed limit of 5 knots up to a distance from land of between 100 metres and 500 metres.”
kystverket.no (2026-10-14): “The maximum legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is 0.8 for operators of pleasure craft.”

Hazards

Moskstraumen (the Maelstrom) off Lofotodden has strong tidal currents that depend heavily on wind and weather. A current ridge (Strinna) can be dangerous for small craft; with a westerly storm and rising sea the strait becomes impassable for smaller vessels, and entering it in winter storms is not advised. In settled summer weather passage is possible.

Kartverket – Den norske los · Kartverket – Den norske los · Kartverket – Den norske los · Kartverket – Den norske los ▾
dnl.kartverket.no (2026-10-14): “The direction and speed of the current depend a lot on the wind and weather.”
dnl.kartverket.no (2026-10-14): “This current ridge is called Strinna and can be dangerous for smaller vessels.”
dnl.kartverket.no (2026-10-14): “the speed of the current becomes extra large when the water rises, and the Moskstraumen is then impassable for smaller vessels.”
dnl.kartverket.no (2026-10-14): “it is not advisable for smaller vessels to enter or exit the Moskstraumen in stormy weather in winter. But with steady wind after several days of good weather, there is nothing to prevent passage in the summer.”

Hospital and medical

Vågan out-of-hours medical service (legevakt) is at Vågan lokalmedisinske senter, Kong Øysteins gt. 7, Svolvær; call 116 117 (24 h). The nearest hospital is Nordlandssykehuset Lofoten in Gravdal (Sykehusbakken 23), switchboard 75 59 63 00.

Vågan kommune · Vågan kommune · Nordlandssykehuset HF · Nordlandssykehuset HF ▾
vagan.kommune.no (2026-10-14): “Vågan lokalmedisinske senter Kong Øysteins gt. 7 8300 Svolvær”
vagan.kommune.no (2026-10-14): “Døgnåpen telefon: 116 117”
nordlandssykehuset.no (2026-10-14): “Lofoten (Gravdal) Sykehusbakken 23”
nordlandssykehuset.no (2026-10-14): “Sentralbord Lofoten 75 59 63 00”

Frequently asked

Who do I call in an emergency at sea near Lofoten?

Call JRCC Bodø on +47 75 55 90 00. On the radio: MAYDAY on VHF channel 16, or a DSC distress alert on channel 70.

How do I contact the harbour in Lofoten?

Vågan Havnevesen KF (Svolvær harbour authority, Havneterminalen, Svolvær): phone 760 67 990, VHF channel 12/16. The harbour watch is manned Mon–Fri 08:00–15:30 and 17:00–22:30, weekends 17:00–22:30.

Read before you sail

Thunderstorms, lightning and squalls on the water: what to doPerson overboard: what to doEngine failure: what to do when you lose powerChartering in Norway: licence & rules

Nearby destinations

Mariehamn (Åland) 507 nmOslofjord 510 nmTurku and the Archipelago Sea 511 nmBergen and the western fjords 524 nmStockholm archipelago 543 nmHelsinki 555 nmTallinn and the Estonian islands 587 nmGothenburg and Bohuslän 641 nm

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