Islands / Fredrikstad / Søndre Missingen
The largest of the Missingene, a group of islands in the Oslofjord about 6 km southwest of Slevik. Missinghavna is a good natural harbour with shelter from most wind directions and leading marks for the approach. The rock is a distinctive rhomb porphyry conglomerate.
The Missingene lie in the Oslofjord, around 6 kilometres southwest of Slevik, and Søndre Missingen is the biggest of them. Look for the red-brown, knobbly rock with golden lichen across it: that is rhomb porphyry conglomerate. Missinghavna, the natural harbour on the island, gives shelter from almost every wind except an easterly.
Søndre Missingen nature reserve, 40.5 hectares (405 dekar) of which 17.2 hectares (172 dekar) is land; protects seabirds and geology. Access may be closed in the nesting season, so check Naturbase. 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 (natural harbour at Missinghavna).
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 Missingene form a group whose western part consists of Nordre Missingen, Søndre Missingen and Ovnskjær, while the eastern part is smaller skerries: Missingskjæra, Storeskjær, Rundeskjær and Lave Skjæret. The name probably comes from messinglav, the brass-yellow lichen that covers the rock and gives it a golden cast.
Søndre Missingen is about 0.13 km² and rises to 26 metres above sea level. The rock is a rhomb porphyry conglomerate, a breccia of the Permian igneous rock rhomb porphyry, formed when movement along the Oslofjord fault zone crushed the porphyry into conglomerate.
The island is a natural harbour and a destination for those arriving by boat. Missinghavna is one of the good sheltered harbours in these waters, with leading marks showing a safe approach from the east. The island is uninhabited, and the reserve keeps it free of development.
Søndre Missingen is reached by your own boat or kayak. Missinghavna gives shelter from most wind directions except an easterly; follow the leading marks on the approach from the east.
**Protection:** Søndre Missingen nature reserve covers 40.5 hectares (405 dekar), of which 17.2 hectares (172 dekar) is land, and protects seabirds, flora and geology. Parts of the island may be closed to traffic in the nesting season, and this is law rather than etiquette. Check the exact dates and boundaries in the national nature database (Naturbase) before going ashore, and do not guess.
The golden sheen on the rock is lichen rather than mineral: messinglav, brass lichen, probably gave the whole group its name.
The rhomb porphyry conglomerate came from the earth's crust crushing its own rock along the Oslofjord fault and setting the pieces back together.
Missinghavna is known among sailors as a safe natural harbour, sheltered from almost every wind, with old leading marks that still show the way in.
Oslo Sea Experience passes Søndre Missingen on its private fjord trips from Tjuvholmen.
The Norwegian version notes which facts were taken from each source: Søndre Missingen på norsk.