Photo: Bjoertvedt·CC BY-SA 3.0· Wikimedia Commons
Islands / Fredrikstad / Nordre Søster
The northernmost of the Søsterøyene in the outer Oslofjord, southwest of Fredrikstad. It is weather-beaten, barren islet ground and a well-known landmark in the archipelago, with birdlife.
Nordre Søster is the northernmost of the Søsterøyene, two conspicuous islets in the outer Oslofjord southwest of Fredrikstad. Towards open sea it is weather-beaten, barren rock without trees, a landmark known to everyone who sails out here. Look for birds on the bare slabs.
Check Naturbase: probably a seabird reserve with access closed in the nesting season (typically 15 April to 15 July). The boundaries and the rules are in Naturbase, and they are worth checking before you land anywhere outside the marked areas.
Own boat or kayak.
No scheduled boat comes here. You will have to find the nearest public quay yourself, and the rest is your own boat or a kayak. Check the wind and wave forecast before you set out; the open stretches in the outer fjord turn unpleasant in a fresh breeze.
The Søsterøyene lie in the outer archipelago between Fredrikstad, Hvaler and open fjord, and the two islets, Nordre and Søndre Søster, have long served as a sailing mark in waters with little shelter. Documented history of use or settlement for Nordre Søster in particular has not been verified in this round. The islets are too exposed and too barren for permanent settlement; their value lies in the position out in the fairway and in the birdlife.
Nordre Søster is an uninhabited, treeless islet with seabirds on the rock and in the scree. Passing boat crews and kayakers use it as a point of reference and, in fine weather, as a place to stop. No grazing animals, cabins or installations are known here.
Nordre Søster is reached only by your own boat or kayak; landing needs calm conditions, since the islet is open to the sea. Protection: the Søsterøyene lie in an area with several seabird reserves, and access is likely closed in the nesting season (often 15 April to 15 July along this coast), but the exact regulation for Nordre Søster has not been verified here. Look the islet up in the national nature database (Naturbase) before you go ashore, particularly in spring and early summer. No ferry.
Nordre and Søndre Søster are among the last islets before open fjord. Pass them on the way out and you are soon beyond the shelter of the archipelago.
Oslo Sea Experience passes Nordre Søster on its private fjord trips from Tjuvholmen.
The Norwegian version notes which facts were taken from each source: Nordre Søster på norsk.