The Ofotfjord ( English ) , Ofotfjorden ( Norwegian ) , or Ufuohttá ( Northern Sami ) is a fjord in Nordland county, Norway . It is an inlet of the Norwegian Sea , located about 200 kilometres (120 mi) north of the Arctic Circle . The 78-kilometre (48 mi) long Ofotfjord is Norway's 12th longest fjord and it is also the 18th deepest, with a maximum depth of 553 metres (1,814 ft). In the English language and in many historical documents, this fjord is often referred to as the Narvik Fjord because the town of Narvik is located on the inner shores of the fjord, but this is not an official name of the fjord.
14-559: The fjord is surrounded by mountains, some reaching 1,500 metres (4,900 ft), and even 1,700 metres (5,600 ft) in Skjomen , where the Frostisen glacier can be seen. The only large lowland area is on parts of the northern shore, around Harstad/Narvik Airport, Evenes , although there are smaller areas near the fjord and in narrow valleys (for instance, the Narvik peninsula, where
28-447: A rich marine life , with huge quantities of herring staying in the fjord in the winter. These fish attract a lot of whales, most notably orca . Divers have occasionally observed lobsters in the fjord, the northernmost sightings of lobsters in the world. Cod , as well as coalfish , are the most common fish species throughout the year. Mackerel is common from July to mid-September. White-tailed eagles and Eurasian otters have made
42-716: A strong comeback and are now very common in and around the fjord. Gulls are common all year, and many migratory birds arrive in summer, such as oystercatchers and grey herons . In the Battles of Narvik in World War II , the Ofotfjord was the scene for several naval battles, and many ships are resting at the bottom, especially in the vicinity of Narvik harbour. These are very popular among divers. However, some of these shipwrecks are declared war graves and are thus protected by law . The German destroyer Georg Thiele
56-611: A very small service centre for the valley. One of the world's northernmost 18 hole golf courses is located in Elvegård, near the fjord. Skjomen Church sits along the shore of the fjord in Elvegård . The name "Skjomen" was originally called Skieffa or Skievva in the 15th century. This is a name from the Northern Sami language that is believed to mean "Sea". The Sami people are a nomadic people living among others in
70-443: Is named after the Ofotfjord ( Old Norse : Ófóti ). The meaning of the first element is unknown. One theory is that the oldest form of the fjord name was Úffóti . In this case, the first element would be úfr which means " Eurasian eagle-owl ". The last element of the name is the dative case of fótr which means " foot " or "leg (including the foot)". Thus, the name could be referring to leg/foot of an owl, likely because
84-555: Is the 1,894-metre (6,214 ft) tall mountain Storsteinfjell. The Frostisen glacier , which is one of the larger plateau glaciers in Norway , is located just west of the fjord. Frostisen covers an area of about 25 square kilometres (9.7 sq mi) and is located at an elevation of 1,710 to 840 metres (5,610 to 2,760 ft) above sea level. Eurasian oystercatcher Too Many Requests If you report this error to
98-835: The Rombak Bridge ), Beisfjorden (crossed by the European route E6 highway using the Beisfjord Bridge ), Skjomen (the longest of these fjord branches, crossed by the E6 highway using the Skjomen Bridge ) and finally Ballangen . At the mouth of Ofotfjord, on the southern side, is another fjord, the narrow Efjorden , which extends southeast (crossed by the E6 highway using the Efjord Bridges ). The Ofotfjord has
112-470: The town of Narvik . The European route E6 highway crosses the Skjomen fjord over the Skjomen Bridge , just south of the mouth of the fjord. A sheltered valley called "Skjomdalen" extends southward from the end of the fjord. The valley is inhabited by approximately 400 people. The population is spread out over several very small villages in the valley, with the largest being Elvegård which functions as
126-469: The 1930s. For a short period, the German battleship Tirpitz hid beneath the extremely steep mountains surrounding the fjord to avoid attack by Allied warplanes during World War II . Skjomen is known for its scenic landscape with high, steep mountains and clear water. Skjomtind, Reintind, and Klubbviktind are three of the many beautiful mountains surrounding the fjord. The highest point around Skjomen
140-463: The harbour and city centre of Narvik is located). The mountains are covered by forest below elevations of 500 metres (1,600 ft), birch being the most common tree, but pine and aspen are also common. The bedrock around the fjord consist of both hard minerals like gneiss and granite as well as softer minerals rich in lime; there is a dolomite quarry in the municipality of Narvik Municipality ( photo ). The surrounding Ofoten district
154-414: The large Vestfjord are located west-south-west of the Ofotfjord. Several smaller fjord branches extend from the main fjord. From north-west, going clockwise, these are: Ramsundet (which is actually a narrow strait connecting with the larger Tjeldsundet ), Bogen (a fairly wide bay), Herjangsfjord (the widest of these branches), Rombaken (which is crossed by the European route E6 highway using
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#1732781079124168-494: The mountains of Sweden and Norway in the wintertime and traveling to the sea at springtime. In this case traveling to Skieffa (sea) or Skjomen. Skjomen has a site of about 80 rock carvings near the sea. They consist of animal figures, including reindeer, whales and moose, as well as a human figure holding a reindeer in straps. The rock carvings are believed to have been made by the mesolithic Fosna-Hensbacka culture dating from around 5000 BC. The rock carvings were discovered in
182-564: The three inner branches of the Ofotfjord might have been compared with the three claws of an owl. The Ofotfjord is the longest fjord in Nordland county and the fourth longest in Northern Norway . Tjeldsund Municipality and Evenes Municipality are located on the northern shore and the large Narvik Municipality is located on the eastern and southern shores of the fjord. Lødingen Municipality (and beyond that all of Lofoten ) and
196-587: Was scuttled and is still visible from around the railway between Straumsnes and Rombak railway station. Skjomen Skjomen ( Norwegian ) or Skievvá ( Northern Sami ) is a small fjord that branches off from the main Ofotfjorden in Narvik Municipality in Nordland county, Norway . It is located in the Ofoten district in Northern Norway , just south of
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