The
Vefsnfjord is a
fjordGeologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:Fjords are formed when a glacier cuts a v-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Many such valleys were formed during the recent ice age...
in
HelgelandHelgeland is the most southerly district in North Norway. Generally speaking, Helgeland refers to the part of Nordland county that is located south of the Arctic circle. The district covers an area of almost 18,000 km², with nearly 79,000 inhabitants...
traditional districtNorway is divided into a number of districts. Many districts have deep historical roots, and only partially coincide with today's administrative units of counties and municipalities. The districts are defined by geographical features, often valleys, mountain ranges, fjords, plains, or coastlines,...
,
Nordlandis a county in Norway, bordering Troms in the north, Nord-Trøndelag in the south, Norrbottens län in Sweden to the east, Västerbottens län to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The county was formerly known as Nordlandene amt. The county administration is in Bodø. The remote Arctic...
county,
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
. It is about 50-60 km long. The fjord begins at
TjøttaTjøtta is an island, village and former municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is now part of Alstahaug municipality.The village Tjøtta is located on the southern tip of the island of the same name, which is located south of Alsten....
on the south side of Alstenøya and meets
LeirfjordLeirfjord is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Leland....
at Sundøya before turning southerly as it proceeds inland to
Mosjøenis a town in the municipality of Vefsn in Nordland county, Norway. The town has approximately 10,000 inhabitants.Mosjøen was separated from Vefsn as a town, and municipality of its own, in 1876. It was again merged with Vefsn January 1, 1962...
. The outer part of the fjord is also called Sørfjord.
Several large rivers run into the Vefsnfjord, including the
VefsnaThe Vefsna is the largest river in Nordland county, Norway. It is 163 km long and drains a watershed of 4,122 km². Its headwaters lie in the Børgefjell mountains and it forms the border between Norway and Sweden for part of its course...
,
FustaThe fusta or fuste was a narrow, light and fast ship with shallow draft, powered by both oars and sail -– in essence a small galley. It typically had 12 to 18 two-man rowing benches on each side, a single mast with a lateen sail, and usually carried two or three guns...
and
DrevjaDrevja is a former municipality in Nordland county, Norway.Drevja was separated from Vefsn as a municipality of its own July 1, 1927. It was merged with Vefsn again January 1, 1962....
. All three of the rivers are traditionally excellent
salmonSalmon is the common name for several species of fish of the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the family are called trout; the difference is often attributed to the migratory life of the salmon as compared to the residential behaviour of trout, a distinction that holds true for the Salmo...
fishing rivers, although they now have been infected with the salmon parasite
Gyrodactylus salarisGyrodactylus salaris is a small monogenean ectoparasite which mainly lives on the skin of freshwater Atlantic salmon. It attaches to the fish by a large specialized posterior attachment organ, the which has sixteen sharp hooks located around its margin. When feeding, the parasite attaches its...
.
A German prisoner ship was sunk here by British Aircraft during
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
with major loss of life.
The
Vefsnfjord is a
fjordGeologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:Fjords are formed when a glacier cuts a v-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Many such valleys were formed during the recent ice age...
in
HelgelandHelgeland is the most southerly district in North Norway. Generally speaking, Helgeland refers to the part of Nordland county that is located south of the Arctic circle. The district covers an area of almost 18,000 km², with nearly 79,000 inhabitants...
traditional districtNorway is divided into a number of districts. Many districts have deep historical roots, and only partially coincide with today's administrative units of counties and municipalities. The districts are defined by geographical features, often valleys, mountain ranges, fjords, plains, or coastlines,...
,
Nordlandis a county in Norway, bordering Troms in the north, Nord-Trøndelag in the south, Norrbottens län in Sweden to the east, Västerbottens län to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The county was formerly known as Nordlandene amt. The county administration is in Bodø. The remote Arctic...
county,
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
. It is about 50-60 km long. The fjord begins at
TjøttaTjøtta is an island, village and former municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is now part of Alstahaug municipality.The village Tjøtta is located on the southern tip of the island of the same name, which is located south of Alsten....
on the south side of Alstenøya and meets
LeirfjordLeirfjord is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Leland....
at Sundøya before turning southerly as it proceeds inland to
Mosjøenis a town in the municipality of Vefsn in Nordland county, Norway. The town has approximately 10,000 inhabitants.Mosjøen was separated from Vefsn as a town, and municipality of its own, in 1876. It was again merged with Vefsn January 1, 1962...
. The outer part of the fjord is also called Sørfjord.
Several large rivers run into the Vefsnfjord, including the
VefsnaThe Vefsna is the largest river in Nordland county, Norway. It is 163 km long and drains a watershed of 4,122 km². Its headwaters lie in the Børgefjell mountains and it forms the border between Norway and Sweden for part of its course...
,
FustaThe fusta or fuste was a narrow, light and fast ship with shallow draft, powered by both oars and sail -– in essence a small galley. It typically had 12 to 18 two-man rowing benches on each side, a single mast with a lateen sail, and usually carried two or three guns...
and
DrevjaDrevja is a former municipality in Nordland county, Norway.Drevja was separated from Vefsn as a municipality of its own July 1, 1927. It was merged with Vefsn again January 1, 1962....
. All three of the rivers are traditionally excellent
salmonSalmon is the common name for several species of fish of the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the family are called trout; the difference is often attributed to the migratory life of the salmon as compared to the residential behaviour of trout, a distinction that holds true for the Salmo...
fishing rivers, although they now have been infected with the salmon parasite
Gyrodactylus salarisGyrodactylus salaris is a small monogenean ectoparasite which mainly lives on the skin of freshwater Atlantic salmon. It attaches to the fish by a large specialized posterior attachment organ, the which has sixteen sharp hooks located around its margin. When feeding, the parasite attaches its...
.
A German prisoner ship was sunk here by British Aircraft during
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
with major loss of life. A memorial is located on a nearby island.