Days precious days
Roll in and out like waves
I got boards to bend I got planks to nail
I got charts to make I got seas to sailI’m gonna build me a boat
With these two hands
It’ll be a fair curve
From a noble plan
Jimmy Buffet
I promised you some months ago to tell you about the secrets of Oslo. So here it goes. One more secret. This one is mainly for those of you who are wheelchair users or who knows a cool (or just easily persuaded) person in a wheelchair.
Once upon a time there was a crazy guy who had an idea. Sometimes it takes a crazy guy to change things. To have progress. And this crazy guy he had an idea about a boat that was accessible for everyone. Because he liked to be on a boat. He just happened to be in a wheelchair. So he needed some money, some help and some faith.
Crazy some would say (including myself). But this guy managed to realize his dream.
A private yacht that was accessible for all.
And then ‘Sjøen for Alle’ (The Ocean for Everyone) saw the day of light. It is a yacht called Arnøy that has been rebuilt and modified to cater for wheelchair users. It can fit 30-35 people at the same time. Doesn’t matter if you have an electrical wheelchair or a manual one, you can easily get onboard. And they are docked just behind the Opera House in Oslo, so the location could not be better.
It costs you 100 NOK per year to be part of the private club and then 50 NOK per person to pay for the diesel on every trip you take. You can also bring friends, disabled or not. Usually the whole concept is very flexible and pragmatic.
The club has a webpage & a Facebook-page
- Webpage: Sjøen for Alle
- Facebook: Sjøen for Alle
They have a very solid ramp to get on board and you can access both the front and the rear end of the yacht with the wheelchair.
They also have a stairlift installed to get you to the wheelchair accessible toilet, if you should be in need during the trip. I tried it with a permobil. It was narrow and I had to fold my footrests, but it was doable.
This summer they have had several trips per week, both daytime and in the evenings. Usually one trip takes about 3-4 hours and the boat moves in a relaxed pace along the cost of the Oslofjord. It’s also possible to charter the both for organizations and groups.
Bring your own food and drinks and enjoy!
Ship O’Hoi!