Børge Ousland

Arriving in Honningsvåg.

In Arctic Icebar in Honningsvåg, visiting owner and expedition friend José Mijares.

At each port-of-call we have received friends on board, and satisfied people’s curiosity about our boat and expedition.

Yesterday evening we left Honningsvåg. We’re sailing east toward our next major destination: Kirkenes.

The team is once again complete, in Honningsvåg, a small town south of North Cape. While Thorleif and Vincent sailed alone from Tromsø, I flew back to Oslo to pay my last respects to a friend.

Trond Bolle and I served together in the Norwegian Naval Special Forces (marinejegere). Such groups become tightly knit – but Trond was an exceptional man in all respects, and a close friend.

In 2005, Trond became the first soldier since World War II to be recommended for Norway’s highest decoration, for exceptional service during the Afghanistan War. He also played a key role in helping three Norwegian children of a broken marriage leave Morocco last year.

On 27 June Trond and three other Norwegian soldiers were killed when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb, near Almar in Faryab Province. They were on their way to meet the elders of an Afghan village.

My thoughts go out to his wife and two children.

My friend Trond Bolle, shown on the right, fell in Afghanistan. (Photos: Forsvaret)