Knut Jentoft from Storfjord in North Troms travelled in 1985 to Nordland to buy a fishing boat. He bought the boat “Sjøliv” that had been used for fishing in Lofoten for many years. The former owner of the vessel, Frank Josefsen, told Jentoft that the boat he had purchased would be watched over. Jentoft did not understand this, but he was too busy with the boat to demand further elaboration of the statement. Jentoft sailed on “Sjøliv” from Nordland to Storfjord where he had previously prepared a new port for the boat.
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During the first month the boat was in its new port, Jentoft noted the nets, buoys and other fishing gear on board were always in new places. Jentoft did not think much of it, but mentioned what Frank Josefsen had said and what he had experienced to Kjell Molberg, who lived where the boat was moored.
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One Sunday, an early autumn morning in September when Molberg went from the house to his barn, he saw something that caught his attention. He looked towards the bay where the boat “Sjøliv” was, and he noticed a rowboat with a person on board. This person rowed towards “Sjøliv”. It was still a little dark outside, and a thin mist lay over the bay, but Molberg could clearly see a dark figure climb aboard the boat and then disappear out of sight. A little later someone lit a light in the steering house, and Molberg heard noises coming from the boat. It sounded like someone was cleaning on board, and the boat was being prepared for next trip. Molberg thought to himself that it was probably Jentoft who was early to prepare the boat.
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Later in the day Molberg met Jentoft and asked him what he had been doing on the boat so early in the morning. Jentoft replied that he had not been on the boat at this time.
After a while, it became evident that none of the other boat owners had been on their boats that morning either.
Jentoft then thought of Frank Josefsen and what he had told him.
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The person in the dinghy was repeatedly observed by Molberg, but they never found out who he was. But the boat was taken good care of, especially in the winter; snow and ice was mysteriously removed, but they never found out who was looking after the boat.
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Sources: Det usynlige nord, Roald Larsen (Red)
Images/Media: freeimages.com
