HERRING ERA: When the Norwegians began their second settlement in Eyjafjörður in 1867 the people of Akureyri suddenly awoke to the fact that piles of money could be made out of the summer herring. This picture does not show Petter Honningsvågs boat "Kvitnes", but shows another local icelandic boat and tells how rich the sea around Iceland was. (Photo from Herring Era Museum in Siglufjördur outside Akureyri.)
The mystery surrounding which boat Petter Honningsvåg took to Iceland, has finally been solved
Akureyri 2013. The next biggest city in Iceland. Foto: Svein Helge Falstad
Via my mother's cousin, Bjørn Olai Stave, son of Agnes Petrikke (Honningsvåg) Stave and Bjarne Olai Stave, I have finally found the solution to which boat my grandfather Petter Mathias Nikolaisson Honningsvåg took to Iceland, as a 20-year-old in 1920.
It must be said that my cousin Erna Sigríður Jónsdóttir used the name Kvitnes on the boat that Petter used in the 1920's. She already used the name in an article on this page in 2013.
But I was unsure if that was correct, because several people in the family talked about another boat on Stadlandet that Petter could have taken. Because of the unsure name, the boats name and ownership became a bit of a mystery.
It was Ståle Åhjem, a resident of Selje in Stadlandet, who was able to establish that the boat Petter Honningsvåg used, really was the M/K Kvitnes.
Åhjem confirmed in a conversation with me in May 2026 that the name of the fishing boat that my grandfather Petter Honningsvåg took to Iceland, was actually the M/K Kvitnes.
But I was unsure if that was correct, because several people in the family talked about another boat on Stadlandet that Petter could have taken. Because of the unsure name, the boats name and ownership became a bit of a mystery.
It was Ståle Åhjem, a resident of Selje in Stadlandet, who was able to establish that the boat Petter Honningsvåg used, really was the M/K Kvitnes.
Åhjem confirmed in a conversation with me in May 2026 that the name of the fishing boat that my grandfather Petter Honningsvåg took to Iceland, was actually the M/K Kvitnes.
Here it is intended that a picture of M/K Kvitnes will hopefully appear / Her er det meningen at et bilde av M/K Kvitnes forhåpentligvis skal komme
But it must be said, that I am not 100 prosent sure if my grandfather Petter and his friend Haston Olav Svedhaug (1906 – 1998) and rest of crew went to Iceland in the year 1920. It may look like they went one-two-three years later. But meanwhile I dives more into that matter, I let the year for their departure be a mystery.
But just to try to verify, Agnes Jóhanna Pétursdóttir, Petter and María Þorvaldsdóttir's first child was bord 24. June 1923. So, around 2022, perhaps is the right year for Petter's arrival in Iceland?
But just to try to verify, Agnes Jóhanna Pétursdóttir, Petter and María Þorvaldsdóttir's first child was bord 24. June 1923. So, around 2022, perhaps is the right year for Petter's arrival in Iceland?
Directorate of Fisheries Historical Mark Register. The register contains historical information about vessels and owners from 1920 to 2001. The register has been digitized and made searchable Historical Mark Register. / Fiskeridirektoratet Historiske merke-register. Registeret inneholder historiske opplysninger om fartøy og eiere fra 1920 og fram til 2001. Registeret er digitalisert og gjort søkbart Historisk merkeregister.
Skipper on his cousin's boat
Ståle Åhjem tells me this in May 2026: - The boat M/K Kvitnes went to Iceland several times to fish for cod. The boat was owned by the fishing company J. L. Eltvik, Måløy.
So it was Johan Lars Eltvik (1878 – 1952) who owned the M/K Kvitnes, the motor-cutter Kvitnes. Johan Lars Eltvik was Ståle Åhjem's great-grandfather, and Johan Lars ran the farm in Eltvika, not far from Honningsvågen.
Johan Lars Eltvik was the husband of Sepora Petersdotter Eltvik (Tungevåg) (1877 – 1961). Sepora was the sister of Andrianne Honningsvåg (1879 – 1965), who was married to Nikolay Andreas Bernt Johannesen Honningsvåg (1875 – 1954). They were Petters parents. And Sepora was Petter's aunt. Andrianne and Nikolay were my (Svein Helge Falstad) great-grandparents.
Andrianne and Nikolay's eldest child, Petter Mathias Nikolaisson Honningsvåg (1900 – 1934) married in the old church in Akureyri in 1924 with Icelandic María Þorvaldsdottír (1902 – 1946). They became grandparents to 16 grandchildren, of which I am one of them. (You can see their 16 names in the story: "María Þorvaldsdóttir and Petter Honningsvåg".
Now in 2026 we get to know what boat Petter was using to fish around Iceland. We also know that he was a hired skipper of M/K Kvitnes, owned by his cousin, Johan Lars Eltvik, who ran the company J. L. Eltvik fishing company in Måløy.
Ståle Åhjem tells me this in May 2026: - The boat M/K Kvitnes went to Iceland several times to fish for cod. The boat was owned by the fishing company J. L. Eltvik, Måløy.
So it was Johan Lars Eltvik (1878 – 1952) who owned the M/K Kvitnes, the motor-cutter Kvitnes. Johan Lars Eltvik was Ståle Åhjem's great-grandfather, and Johan Lars ran the farm in Eltvika, not far from Honningsvågen.
Johan Lars Eltvik was the husband of Sepora Petersdotter Eltvik (Tungevåg) (1877 – 1961). Sepora was the sister of Andrianne Honningsvåg (1879 – 1965), who was married to Nikolay Andreas Bernt Johannesen Honningsvåg (1875 – 1954). They were Petters parents. And Sepora was Petter's aunt. Andrianne and Nikolay were my (Svein Helge Falstad) great-grandparents.
Andrianne and Nikolay's eldest child, Petter Mathias Nikolaisson Honningsvåg (1900 – 1934) married in the old church in Akureyri in 1924 with Icelandic María Þorvaldsdottír (1902 – 1946). They became grandparents to 16 grandchildren, of which I am one of them. (You can see their 16 names in the story: "María Þorvaldsdóttir and Petter Honningsvåg".
Now in 2026 we get to know what boat Petter was using to fish around Iceland. We also know that he was a hired skipper of M/K Kvitnes, owned by his cousin, Johan Lars Eltvik, who ran the company J. L. Eltvik fishing company in Måløy.
Just around two-three kilometers between Honningsvåg and Eltvik. They had a good relationship, and helped each other on their farms and boats.
The fising company J.L. Eltvik had several fishingboats
Ståle Åhjem says that his great-grandfather Johan Lars Eltvik had two more boats in the shipping company – the fishing boats Safir and Onix.
Johan Lars Eltvik's son, Lars Eltvik (1901 - ?), was a nobleman on the Eltvik farm. He was Ståle Åhjem's grandfather.
- Lars Eltvik did not want to run a farm. There was some conflict between the father Johan Lars and his son Lars about this, says Ståle.
According to Ståle, Johan Lars had several boats, and ran a fairly large business. He established his company in Måløy, Street 2 in Måløy. There he had the Eltvik property, which consisted of a large shop in a three-story building, and a large harbor tender. The shop in Måløy has several years ago been demolished, but the house is still there, says Ståle.
Fell in love in Iceland
The story is that Petter Mathias Nikolaisson Honningsvåg was a hired skipper on the M/K Kvitnes. The Eltvik shipping company used hired skippers on the boats. Ståle Åhjem knows less about the crew.
A friend of Petter, Haston Olav Svedhaug (1906 – 1998), was part of the crew. Neither Ståle nor I have been able to find out about the rest of the crew.
Haston was 14 years old in 1920, so I am unsure whether it is true that they went to Iceland to fish that year, or if they went later. As I mentioned earlier here, I think they went two three year's later - like 1922-23'ish.
Arriving Iceland, Petter sooner or later fell in love with María Þorvaldsdóttir. She wa born in Akureyri on September 30, 1902. They married in 1924, and then Haston was Petter's best man.
Different skippers
Ståle says that there were different chartered skippers aboard Kvitnes. There were also chartered skippers on the other two boats, Safir and Onix, over the years.
- I don't know how long time Petter Honningsvåg and the crew used Kvitnes for fishing around Iceland. But after som investigation, I now know that Kvitnes was at least back again in Måløy in the year 1930.
On bord Kvitnes, I think it was mostly Stadt residents, relatives and acquaintances, who worked together.
Ståle Åhjem says that his great-grandfather Johan Lars Eltvik had two more boats in the shipping company – the fishing boats Safir and Onix.
Johan Lars Eltvik's son, Lars Eltvik (1901 - ?), was a nobleman on the Eltvik farm. He was Ståle Åhjem's grandfather.
- Lars Eltvik did not want to run a farm. There was some conflict between the father Johan Lars and his son Lars about this, says Ståle.
According to Ståle, Johan Lars had several boats, and ran a fairly large business. He established his company in Måløy, Street 2 in Måløy. There he had the Eltvik property, which consisted of a large shop in a three-story building, and a large harbor tender. The shop in Måløy has several years ago been demolished, but the house is still there, says Ståle.
Fell in love in Iceland
The story is that Petter Mathias Nikolaisson Honningsvåg was a hired skipper on the M/K Kvitnes. The Eltvik shipping company used hired skippers on the boats. Ståle Åhjem knows less about the crew.
A friend of Petter, Haston Olav Svedhaug (1906 – 1998), was part of the crew. Neither Ståle nor I have been able to find out about the rest of the crew.
Haston was 14 years old in 1920, so I am unsure whether it is true that they went to Iceland to fish that year, or if they went later. As I mentioned earlier here, I think they went two three year's later - like 1922-23'ish.
Arriving Iceland, Petter sooner or later fell in love with María Þorvaldsdóttir. She wa born in Akureyri on September 30, 1902. They married in 1924, and then Haston was Petter's best man.
Different skippers
Ståle says that there were different chartered skippers aboard Kvitnes. There were also chartered skippers on the other two boats, Safir and Onix, over the years.
- I don't know how long time Petter Honningsvåg and the crew used Kvitnes for fishing around Iceland. But after som investigation, I now know that Kvitnes was at least back again in Måløy in the year 1930.
On bord Kvitnes, I think it was mostly Stadt residents, relatives and acquaintances, who worked together.
M/K Kvitnes are still under sea on 40 meters depth close to Leistholmen in Ulvesundet (The wolf straight) just north of Måløy. Source: Ståle Åhjem.
Kvitnes located at 40 meters deep
M/K Kvitnes is currently located at 40 meters deep in the Ulvesundet Strait just north of Måløy.
- It was sunk by the Hurtigruten Ship "Ariadne" one very stormy night in Måløy harbour. Kvitnes was dragged along by the Hurtigruten Ship that ran into Kvitnes, where Kvitnes was lying outside by anchor in the harbour, not far from the Eltvik quay. There were no people on board Kvitnes.
The stormy happening in Måløy was in November 29, 1930.
At the same night, one of the most famous dramatic events off Måløy and Stad was the sinking of the English sloop "Otto". The ship was in distress at sea and capsized during a hurricane-like storm on November 29, 1930, resulting in a dramatic rescue operation and major headlines in coastal Norway. (Source: Svedhaug Kulturgard)
But for Kvitnes there were no big headlines. Several lokal and regional papers wrote about the accident with Kvitnes, but just some few sentences.
Kvitnes was during the stormy night, dragged northwards in Måløysundet in the direction of Raudeberg.
- There it still lies at 40 meters deep at Leistholmen in Ulvesundet, says Ståle, who himself has dived there to get a glimpse of Kvitnes.
- I didn't get all the way down to the boat, and I only saw the wheelhouse. But I could see that there was something big white down there, he explains. Kvitnes was white of colour from it was new built.
M/K Kvitnes is currently located at 40 meters deep in the Ulvesundet Strait just north of Måløy.
- It was sunk by the Hurtigruten Ship "Ariadne" one very stormy night in Måløy harbour. Kvitnes was dragged along by the Hurtigruten Ship that ran into Kvitnes, where Kvitnes was lying outside by anchor in the harbour, not far from the Eltvik quay. There were no people on board Kvitnes.
The stormy happening in Måløy was in November 29, 1930.
At the same night, one of the most famous dramatic events off Måløy and Stad was the sinking of the English sloop "Otto". The ship was in distress at sea and capsized during a hurricane-like storm on November 29, 1930, resulting in a dramatic rescue operation and major headlines in coastal Norway. (Source: Svedhaug Kulturgard)
But for Kvitnes there were no big headlines. Several lokal and regional papers wrote about the accident with Kvitnes, but just some few sentences.
Kvitnes was during the stormy night, dragged northwards in Måløysundet in the direction of Raudeberg.
- There it still lies at 40 meters deep at Leistholmen in Ulvesundet, says Ståle, who himself has dived there to get a glimpse of Kvitnes.
- I didn't get all the way down to the boat, and I only saw the wheelhouse. But I could see that there was something big white down there, he explains. Kvitnes was white of colour from it was new built.
The newspapers reported the accident in November 1930:
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Has collected pictures and stories
Ståle Åhjem has collected a lot of picture material and history. Kvitnes was originally built in the Molde area, and was intended to fish from there. However, financing meant that it had to be sold. Sadly Åhjem doesn't have a picture of Kvitnes.
- Johan Eltvik from Eltvika, who built his company in Måløy, bought Kvitnes from the owners near by Molde. He was a bit wealthy, and they had a shop in the basement at Eltvika.
Johan Lars Eltviks son, Lars Eltvik was a nobleman, but did not want to run the farm. He would rather travel the seven seas. He was very adventurous, and looked for gold in the USA together with relatives there and in Norway – perhaps also my great-grandfather Nikolai Honningsvåg, who also was in America on the same business for a few years.
Ståle Åhjem has collected a lot of picture material and history. Kvitnes was originally built in the Molde area, and was intended to fish from there. However, financing meant that it had to be sold. Sadly Åhjem doesn't have a picture of Kvitnes.
- Johan Eltvik from Eltvika, who built his company in Måløy, bought Kvitnes from the owners near by Molde. He was a bit wealthy, and they had a shop in the basement at Eltvika.
Johan Lars Eltviks son, Lars Eltvik was a nobleman, but did not want to run the farm. He would rather travel the seven seas. He was very adventurous, and looked for gold in the USA together with relatives there and in Norway – perhaps also my great-grandfather Nikolai Honningsvåg, who also was in America on the same business for a few years.
PETTERS FAMILY: Picture shows Nikolai Honningsvåg (brother of Anna H. Erikcson, Gina H. Fluevåg and Johan Honningsvåg)
PETTERS FAMILY: Picture shows Nikolai Honningsvåg (brother of Anna H. Erikcson, Gina H. Fluevåg and Johan Honningsvåg) and Andriana Tungevåg, with their children (from left) Tomina, Nelly, Alf and Petter. In front Malmfrid and Joakim. The youngest sibling, Joakim, was born in 1915, and this photo is probably taken a year later.
The “Atlantic Klondike"
During the 1920s, Iceland’s north coast experienced a massive economic boom driven by the lucrative North Atlantic herring industry.
While the nearby village of Siglufjörður was the central hub of the “Atlantic Klondike", the fjord network —including ports near Dalvík -- served as important areas for catching and handling silver herring.
Petter was the eldest son of Nikolai Honningsvåg and Andrianne Tungevaag Honningsvåg. This means that he came from exactly the same close-knit neighborhood from which the fishing owner Johan Lars Eltvik recruited his skippers and partners.
During the 1920s, Iceland’s north coast experienced a massive economic boom driven by the lucrative North Atlantic herring industry.
While the nearby village of Siglufjörður was the central hub of the “Atlantic Klondike", the fjord network —including ports near Dalvík -- served as important areas for catching and handling silver herring.
Petter was the eldest son of Nikolai Honningsvåg and Andrianne Tungevaag Honningsvåg. This means that he came from exactly the same close-knit neighborhood from which the fishing owner Johan Lars Eltvik recruited his skippers and partners.
J. L. Eltvik drev med mye forskjellig
This is example of how J.L sold a lot of different things, from clothings shoos, herring, clipfish and cement an much more ...
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Fangsrederi, trelast og kolonial
Petter grew up in the tiny coastal village of Honningsvåg, which lies at the very west end of Stadlandet, just a stone’s throw west of the hamlets of Tungevågen, Eltvik, and Sjåstad. It’s hard to say how my grandfather Petter Honningsvåg, as a young man, could go out as a full-time skipper on a new and modern fishing boat that engaged in deep-sea fishing.
But accustomed to the sea and boats as Petter was, at the age of 20 + he was hired as a skipper on the Måløy shipping company J. L. Eltvik's boat built in 1917, M/K "Kvitnes".
The voyage went across the infamous Stadhavet and the North Atlantic to hunt for cod and herring along the north coast of Iceland.
When Petter was not at sea, he was probably busy with the "herring station" in Dalvík. It was common for Norwegian skippers to be responsible for receiving and salting their own catch.
Petter led this fishing until his death in the hospital in Akureyri in 1934. He died of pneumonia, 10. June 1934.
Petter grew up in the tiny coastal village of Honningsvåg, which lies at the very west end of Stadlandet, just a stone’s throw west of the hamlets of Tungevågen, Eltvik, and Sjåstad. It’s hard to say how my grandfather Petter Honningsvåg, as a young man, could go out as a full-time skipper on a new and modern fishing boat that engaged in deep-sea fishing.
But accustomed to the sea and boats as Petter was, at the age of 20 + he was hired as a skipper on the Måløy shipping company J. L. Eltvik's boat built in 1917, M/K "Kvitnes".
The voyage went across the infamous Stadhavet and the North Atlantic to hunt for cod and herring along the north coast of Iceland.
When Petter was not at sea, he was probably busy with the "herring station" in Dalvík. It was common for Norwegian skippers to be responsible for receiving and salting their own catch.
Petter led this fishing until his death in the hospital in Akureyri in 1934. He died of pneumonia, 10. June 1934.
The main features of North Iceland in the 1920s
Shipping and fishing in the north of Iceland, Siglufjördur, Dalvík, Akureyri and Seyðsfjöður, like many other places in North Iceland, was heavily dependent on the fisheries of Eyjafjörður for in the 1800s.
The settlements was located, and grew during 1800-early 1900. The villages was developing from being traditional farming community, to become important fishing villages.
In the 1920s, Dalvík was marked by the "herring adventure", and the village became a small, emerging fishing settlement in the Eyjafjörður region, characterized by traditional fishing and coastal culture.
Around 1920, five small piers were built in the area. This changed the way the shoreline was utilized, as boats were no longer dependent on being pulled up on sandy beaches. The site was strategically located at the mouth of Svarfaðardalur, and the decade marked the start of a more modern fishing era in the area, shortly after Iceland became an independent state in union with Denmark (1918).
Early modernization
This decade was part of the early modernization of Icelandic fishing villages, where fishing eventually became more industrial. During this period, the foundations were also laid for what is today a famous fishing port, located near Akureyri in Iceland.
Six years before the great and devastating earthquake of 1934 (Dalvíkurskjálftinn), the settlement in 1920 consisted largely of traditional Icelandic sod houses mixed with the first newer wooden and corrugated iron houses.
Everyday life was characterized by hard work related to the sea and small farming. The settlement grew rapidly during this period. The increasing population led, among other things, to an urgent need for larger and better school buildings (although the first purely school building was not completed until the 1930s).
Norwegian-Icelandic community
Petter and María Þorvaldsdóttir established themselves as part of the small but close-knit Norwegian-Icelandic community in Akureyri. They lived in Akureyri during what was then an expansive period for herring and other fisheries.
In the church records for Akureyri (where Petter was buried), he is registered as living in Dalvík. They had several children together, first their daughter Agnes (1923 – 1984), who stayed in Iceland and has descendants there today, and their daughter Maria who moved to Norway in her youth.
The other daughters, Nancy Thorhild (1927- 2008), Anne Gudlaug (1929-lived two months), Svala 1933-2001, and their half-sister Petra Gullaug (1937-2024).
Shipping and fishing in the north of Iceland, Siglufjördur, Dalvík, Akureyri and Seyðsfjöður, like many other places in North Iceland, was heavily dependent on the fisheries of Eyjafjörður for in the 1800s.
The settlements was located, and grew during 1800-early 1900. The villages was developing from being traditional farming community, to become important fishing villages.
In the 1920s, Dalvík was marked by the "herring adventure", and the village became a small, emerging fishing settlement in the Eyjafjörður region, characterized by traditional fishing and coastal culture.
Around 1920, five small piers were built in the area. This changed the way the shoreline was utilized, as boats were no longer dependent on being pulled up on sandy beaches. The site was strategically located at the mouth of Svarfaðardalur, and the decade marked the start of a more modern fishing era in the area, shortly after Iceland became an independent state in union with Denmark (1918).
Early modernization
This decade was part of the early modernization of Icelandic fishing villages, where fishing eventually became more industrial. During this period, the foundations were also laid for what is today a famous fishing port, located near Akureyri in Iceland.
Six years before the great and devastating earthquake of 1934 (Dalvíkurskjálftinn), the settlement in 1920 consisted largely of traditional Icelandic sod houses mixed with the first newer wooden and corrugated iron houses.
Everyday life was characterized by hard work related to the sea and small farming. The settlement grew rapidly during this period. The increasing population led, among other things, to an urgent need for larger and better school buildings (although the first purely school building was not completed until the 1930s).
Norwegian-Icelandic community
Petter and María Þorvaldsdóttir established themselves as part of the small but close-knit Norwegian-Icelandic community in Akureyri. They lived in Akureyri during what was then an expansive period for herring and other fisheries.
In the church records for Akureyri (where Petter was buried), he is registered as living in Dalvík. They had several children together, first their daughter Agnes (1923 – 1984), who stayed in Iceland and has descendants there today, and their daughter Maria who moved to Norway in her youth.
The other daughters, Nancy Thorhild (1927- 2008), Anne Gudlaug (1929-lived two months), Svala 1933-2001, and their half-sister Petra Gullaug (1937-2024).
Nancy, who was Petters third daughter, born in Akureyri, had a friend, Pernille Hoddevik, who had married a man in Akureyri. This man was a land surveyor there. He located and marked the grave with a wooden stake, and Torhild bought the steel cross, witch still are standing.
Petter's death in June 1934
Petter's death in June 1934 was a hard blow to the family. He died on June 10, 1934 in the hospital in Akureyri. Sources vary on the cause of death between pneumonia and tuberculosis, but both were common and feared diseases in the humid coastal climate at the time.
He lived only 34 years. My grandfather Petter was buried on June 18, 1934 from Akureyri church. The grave can still be found in the cemetery in Akureyri (Akureyrarkirkjugarður), with a single wooden cross with an inscription.
There were no headstone, no cross or mark at Petters grave in Akureyri, when Nancy Petursdottir Hansen and her daughter Torhild Hansen and Nancy's son, Hans Christian Hansen, traveled there in 2003/2004.
Nancy, who was Petters third daughter, born in Akureyri, had a friend, Pernille Hoddevik, who had married a man in Akureyri. This man was a land surveyor there. He located and marked the grave with a wooden stake, and Torhild bought the steel cross, witch still are standing.
Difficult for María
After Petter died, the situation became difficult for María. After his funeral, she moved to Stadlandet. There she lived with Petter's family in Leikanger, in Honningsvågen and in Eltvik, together with the children.
It was during this stay that María had a sixth daughter, Petra Gudlaug. While the other five daughters were born in Iceland and spent their childhood and upbringing there, Petra never made it to Iceland.
Her Icelandic relatives have, as far as I can tell, never visited Honningsvågen and Stadlandet, where their father was born. María died in Norway in 1946, 12 years after Petter died in Iceland.
Thus, fate would have it that the two spouses were buried in each other's countries.
Petter's death in June 1934 was a hard blow to the family. He died on June 10, 1934 in the hospital in Akureyri. Sources vary on the cause of death between pneumonia and tuberculosis, but both were common and feared diseases in the humid coastal climate at the time.
He lived only 34 years. My grandfather Petter was buried on June 18, 1934 from Akureyri church. The grave can still be found in the cemetery in Akureyri (Akureyrarkirkjugarður), with a single wooden cross with an inscription.
There were no headstone, no cross or mark at Petters grave in Akureyri, when Nancy Petursdottir Hansen and her daughter Torhild Hansen and Nancy's son, Hans Christian Hansen, traveled there in 2003/2004.
Nancy, who was Petters third daughter, born in Akureyri, had a friend, Pernille Hoddevik, who had married a man in Akureyri. This man was a land surveyor there. He located and marked the grave with a wooden stake, and Torhild bought the steel cross, witch still are standing.
Difficult for María
After Petter died, the situation became difficult for María. After his funeral, she moved to Stadlandet. There she lived with Petter's family in Leikanger, in Honningsvågen and in Eltvik, together with the children.
It was during this stay that María had a sixth daughter, Petra Gudlaug. While the other five daughters were born in Iceland and spent their childhood and upbringing there, Petra never made it to Iceland.
Her Icelandic relatives have, as far as I can tell, never visited Honningsvågen and Stadlandet, where their father was born. María died in Norway in 1946, 12 years after Petter died in Iceland.
Thus, fate would have it that the two spouses were buried in each other's countries.
Details from the 1930
Icelandic Census The Icelandic National Archives (Þjóðskjalasafn Íslands) holds the original, handwritten lists from the nationwide census of Iceland on December 1, 1930 (Manntalið 1930).
The documents confirm exactly where the young Norwegian-Icelandic family lived during the heyday of the herring adventure. In 1930, the family was registered in the small, close-knit fishing town of Dalvík (located in the Svarfaðardalur municipality, just north of Akureyri).
This was one of the most important bases for the Norwegian herring industry. In the household lists, Petter is registered under the name Pjetur Honningsvåg (with the professional title skipstjóri / skipper).
He is registered together with his wife María Þorvaldsdóttir and their oldest daughters.
Icelandic Census The Icelandic National Archives (Þjóðskjalasafn Íslands) holds the original, handwritten lists from the nationwide census of Iceland on December 1, 1930 (Manntalið 1930).
The documents confirm exactly where the young Norwegian-Icelandic family lived during the heyday of the herring adventure. In 1930, the family was registered in the small, close-knit fishing town of Dalvík (located in the Svarfaðardalur municipality, just north of Akureyri).
This was one of the most important bases for the Norwegian herring industry. In the household lists, Petter is registered under the name Pjetur Honningsvåg (with the professional title skipstjóri / skipper).
He is registered together with his wife María Þorvaldsdóttir and their oldest daughters.
The legal transition after Petter's death in 1934
When Petter Honningsvåg passed away on June 10, 1934, a complicated legal situation arose. He was a Norwegian citizen, but formally resident in Iceland, married to an Icelandic woman, and he left behind minor children and assets (including the proceeds from the herring sale) in both countries.
This is how the international transition was handled between the authorities:
1. The Icelandic registration and the probate court, since the death occurred in Iceland and he was registered in the population register there, the process started locally:
• The death was recorded in the ministerial book of the Akureyri parish.
• The local governor (sýslumaður) in North Iceland acted as the probate court. They had to freeze Petter's Icelandic bank accounts and register the assets in the house in Dalvík to ensure the legal inheritance rights of María and her daughters under Icelandic law.
2. The role of the consulate and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, since Petter was a Norwegian citizen, the death triggered a formal diplomatic response:
• The Norwegian Consulate General in Reykjavík (or the local vice-consul in northern Iceland) was immediately involved.
• The consulate's task was to act as a liaison between the Icelandic probate court and Petter's origins in Norway. They had to send an official death notification to the Ministry of Justice and the magistrate in Norway.
3. The Norwegian transfer (Between Måløy and Stadlandet) In Norway, the transfer was administered by the Nordfjord magistrate's office:
• The shipping company's settlement: Since Petter was a hired skipper for J. L. Eltvik in Måløy, the shipping company was responsible for paying Petter's outstanding wages and fishing fees with the M/K "Kvitnes". This money could not be paid directly to the widow in Iceland without formal approval. The shipping company had to deposit the funds in a blocked account administered by the magistrate pending the probate certificate.
Where are the documents today?
The legal documents, the correspondence between the consulate and the settlement after Petter Honningsvåg, are publicly available for inspection:
• The Norwegian probate books and magistrate papers from 1934 are kept at the State Archives in Bergen under the Nordfjord magistrate's archive.
• The Icelandic probate documents are kept at the Þjóðskjalasafn Íslands (Iceland's National Archives) in Reykjavík under the archive for the Sýslumaðurín á Akureyri / Dalvík.
The story of Petter Honningsvåg, the shipping company of J. L. Eltvik and the faithful M/K "Kvitnes", really shows the kind of courage and unity that characterized our coastal communities in the facing of the great Atlantic Ocean.
Johan L. Eltvik and his fishing company
The story of Johan L. Eltvik and his fishing company connects two of the most central fishing communities in Nordfjord: the weather-hardened, traditional Stadlandet and the expansive business center Måløy.
The roots in Eltvik in Stadlandet is part of how Johan Lars Eltvik grew up in the small, weather-exposed village of Eltvik on the north side of Stadlandet. The extreme learning environment. Fishing from Eltvik and the adjacent Tungevågen required exceptional seamanship.
The Stadhavet is one of Norway's most dangerous seas. Here, young fishermen learned to read notorious downwinds, violent sea currents from the North Atlantic mixed with strong ocean currents and reflective waves that went in all directions.
Generational heritage is important here. In Stadlandet, fishing was the lifeblood. When the transition from rowing and sailing boats to motorboats accelerated in the early 20th century, it laid the foundation for skilled coastal fishermen to venture larger and build their own shipping companies.
Several close-knit fishing families in Stadlandet (such as the Eltvik and Sjåstad families) collaborated closely across generations.
The move and expansion in Måløy
Although his heart and belonging lay in Stad, Johan Lars Eltvik moved his business to Måløy (Sør-Vågen).
Måløy emerged as the perfect base for strategic reasons. Infrastructure and market where Måløy offered safe, deep harbors, a shorter route to the large canning factories (such as Stat Canning and Firda Canning) and direct access to exporters and cooperatives.
Establishment in Sør-Vågøy, Johan L. Eltvik built up his own combined fishing company and receiving facility here. The company became one of the pillars of the bustling maritime industrial environment along the Måløy beach.
The story of Johan L. Eltvik and his fishing company connects two of the most central fishing communities in Nordfjord: the weather-hardened, traditional Stadlandet and the expansive business center Måløy.
The roots in Eltvik in Stadlandet is part of how Johan Lars Eltvik grew up in the small, weather-exposed village of Eltvik on the north side of Stadlandet. The extreme learning environment. Fishing from Eltvik and the adjacent Tungevågen required exceptional seamanship.
The Stadhavet is one of Norway's most dangerous seas. Here, young fishermen learned to read notorious downwinds, violent sea currents from the North Atlantic mixed with strong ocean currents and reflective waves that went in all directions.
Generational heritage is important here. In Stadlandet, fishing was the lifeblood. When the transition from rowing and sailing boats to motorboats accelerated in the early 20th century, it laid the foundation for skilled coastal fishermen to venture larger and build their own shipping companies.
Several close-knit fishing families in Stadlandet (such as the Eltvik and Sjåstad families) collaborated closely across generations.
The move and expansion in Måløy
Although his heart and belonging lay in Stad, Johan Lars Eltvik moved his business to Måløy (Sør-Vågen).
Måløy emerged as the perfect base for strategic reasons. Infrastructure and market where Måløy offered safe, deep harbors, a shorter route to the large canning factories (such as Stat Canning and Firda Canning) and direct access to exporters and cooperatives.
Establishment in Sør-Vågøy, Johan L. Eltvik built up his own combined fishing company and receiving facility here. The company became one of the pillars of the bustling maritime industrial environment along the Måløy beach.
I wonder if this can be M/K Kvitnes, in Iceland. Dramatic mountains in the background lokks like Iceland in the north. And I wonder if the guy number two from right in the back, with his hat a little back on the head, can be Petter Mathias Honningsvåg.
The close ties between the Eltvik and Sjåstad families
The fact that the Eltvik and Sjåstad families joined forces was no coincidence. It was a strategic and personal collaboration shaped by the geographical realities of Stadlandet. They were neighbors on the toughest headland.
Both Eltvik and Sjåstad are small, isolated coastal villages that lie side by side at the very north end of Stadlandet. They shared the same landing sites and were completely dependent on each other to salvage the boats ashore in the merciless Stadhavet.
They had complementary skills. While Johan L. Eltvik eventually moved to Måløy to run the business, build a fishing shop, quay facilities and organize sales/exports, the Sjåstad community remained the foremost guarantor of operational operations at sea.
They were legendary skippers and fishermen who knew exactly how to maneuver the boats in the extreme conditions off Iceland or on Storegga and around Iceland and Greenland.
Generational continuity
The collaboration did not stop with Johan L. Eltvik's generation. The ties between Eltvik and Sjåstad stretched over several decades. Well into the 1970s, the next generation of these families owned and operated advanced steel longliners together.
They consistently recruited crew from the same families in Stad. This network of relatives and co-residents gave the shipping company an enormous advantage: They had complete trust in each other.
The fact that the Eltvik and Sjåstad families joined forces was no coincidence. It was a strategic and personal collaboration shaped by the geographical realities of Stadlandet. They were neighbors on the toughest headland.
Both Eltvik and Sjåstad are small, isolated coastal villages that lie side by side at the very north end of Stadlandet. They shared the same landing sites and were completely dependent on each other to salvage the boats ashore in the merciless Stadhavet.
They had complementary skills. While Johan L. Eltvik eventually moved to Måløy to run the business, build a fishing shop, quay facilities and organize sales/exports, the Sjåstad community remained the foremost guarantor of operational operations at sea.
They were legendary skippers and fishermen who knew exactly how to maneuver the boats in the extreme conditions off Iceland or on Storegga and around Iceland and Greenland.
Generational continuity
The collaboration did not stop with Johan L. Eltvik's generation. The ties between Eltvik and Sjåstad stretched over several decades. Well into the 1970s, the next generation of these families owned and operated advanced steel longliners together.
They consistently recruited crew from the same families in Stad. This network of relatives and co-residents gave the shipping company an enormous advantage: They had complete trust in each other.
I don't know if this picture is related to Petter Honningsvåg, J. L. Eltvik's fishing company or M/K Kvitnes, but the area locks like this could be the herring industry town Siglufjörður.
Courage and unity
This work on my grandfather's history, as he was a piece in the great Icelandic fishing, has been an incredibly exciting and rich story to delve into.
The story of Petter Honningsvåg, the shipping company of J. L. Eltvik and the faithful M/K "Kvitnes", really shows the kind of courage and unity that characterized our coastal communities in the facing of the great Atlantic Ocean.
This work on my grandfather's history, as he was a piece in the great Icelandic fishing, has been an incredibly exciting and rich story to delve into.
The story of Petter Honningsvåg, the shipping company of J. L. Eltvik and the faithful M/K "Kvitnes", really shows the kind of courage and unity that characterized our coastal communities in the facing of the great Atlantic Ocean.
SILVER OF THE SEA: This sign is hanging in the Herring Museum i Siglufjördur. It tells that the future depends on the herring, and that herring culture came to Iceland by the norwegians.
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LARGE INDUSTRY: This and the header picture are hanging in the Herring Era Museum i Siglufjördur. It shows a great number of fishing boats and the fish industry in Siglufjördur.
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According to Akureyrarstofa - Akureyri Cultural and Marketing Office - it was not until the Norwegians began their second settlement in Eyjafjörður in 1867 that the people of Akureyri suddenly awoke to the fact that piles of money could be made out of the summer herring. The herrings shoals had swum close to the shore, alongside the main street of the town, as far back as could be traced in the memories of the oldest citizens of Akureyri.
Petters brothers did not sail "Kvitnes" back to Norway
... I don't know this part of the story yet ...
Svein Helge Falstad
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I am sorry I do not know dayly life of Maria and Petter. But he was a sailor and because his brothers came here to setle his estate when he died in 1934, I belive that they sailed his boat back to Norway.
You can probably find old information in ships regestration office from that year he died or the year after. The informations about the eruptions and other desasters that happened here in the years 1875 to 1889 I found in a book "Öldinn sem leið". I own the collection from 1501 to 1980. |
And it was a very interestin reading because what is happining here now.
Last two septembers, in 2012 and in 2013, it has snowed like it was middle of winther. In 2012 lots of sheeps were trapt under a snowpile and died. Also many were saved, and they did find a sheep that was still alive after 40 days. And now we have eruptions north of Dyngjufjöll wery close to Askja. So history repeat it self. Venlige hilsen Sigríður Jónsdóttir |
Möðrudalur er en gårdsbosetning i Norður-Múlasýslu på Øst-Island, og det høyeste bebodde stedet i landet, på 469 moh. Möðrudalur er et populært turistmål, og lå tidligere på Ringveien inntil veien ble flyttet til sin nåværende Háreksstaðaleið-rute nord for Möðrudalur. En kirke ble bygget i Möðrudalur i 1949 av Jón A. María Þorvaldsdottirs familie kommer fra Möðrudalur.
Kilder / Sources:
Her er den samlede oversikten over de arkivreferansene og søkekildene jeg har kartlagt gjennom arbeidet. Dette er min personlige "arbeidsplan" for den videre slektsforskningen i Norge og på Island.
1. Statsarkivet i Bergen (Arkivverket, Norge)
Dette er det viktigste arkivet for å finne de juridiske dokumentene rundt dødsfallet, rederioppgjøret og arven etter Petter i Norge.
· Arkivskaper: Nordfjord sorenskriverembete [1]
· Aktuell serie 1: Dødsfallsmeldinger / Lensmannens dødsfallsprotokoll for Selje eller Sør-Vågøy (juni 1934). [1]
· Aktuell serie 2: Skifteforhandlingsprotokoller / Ekstrarettsprotokoller (1934), som inneholder detaljer om oppgjøret mellom J. L. Eltviks rederi og boet på Island [1].
· Søkeord for Arkivverkets katalog (Arkivportalen.no): Nordfjord sorenskriverembete, Skifte, Selje lensmannskontor.
2. Þjóðskjalasafn Íslands (Islands Riksarkiv, Reykjavík)
Her ligger de originale islandske dokumentene fra tidsrommet da Petter var bosatt i Dalvík og gikk bort i Akureyri.
· Arkivskaper: Sýslumaðurinn á Akureyri (Sysselmannen i Akureyri) eller Eyjafjarðarsýsla.
· Aktuell serie 1: Manntalið 1930 (Folketellingen 1930). Petter, María og barna er registrert under bostedet/huset «Tjörn» i Dalvík.
· Aktuell serie 2: Skiptabækur og dánarbú (Skiftebøker og dánarbyr/dødsbo) fra juni 1934 og utover.
3. Digitale avisarkiver (Nasjonalbiblioteket & Lokalaviser)
For å finne de levende historiene, detaljer om stormen i Måløy hamn og fangstrekordene.
· Kilde: Nasjonalbibliotekets nettbibliotek (nb.no) (Velg "Aviser")
· Relevante lokalaviser: Fjordenes Tidende og Firda og Fjordabladet.
· Konkrete søkestrenger som jeg har brukt:
o "Kvitnes" AND "Eltvik"
o "Kvitnes" AND "Måløy"
o "SF-65-S" eller "SF 65"
o "Petter Honningsvåg" eller "Pjetur Honningsvåg"
4. Skipsregistre og historiske skipsdatabaser
For å spore de tekniske detaljene og eierhistorikken til båtene knyttet til Eltvik-rederiet.
· Norges Skipsliste / Merkeregister for norske fiskefarkoster: Søk på fiskerimerkene SF-65-S (M/K «Kvitnes») og SF-5-S (M/S «Stålsund»).
· Nettbaserte skipsdatabaser: Skipet.no og Skipsrevyen sitt historiske arkiv for detaljer om overleveringer av båter.
5. Private og digitale dokumentasjonsprosjekter
· Slektshistorisk nettside: Prosjektet Home to Honningsvaag. Her ligger det allerede publiserte detaljer, bilder av huset i Dalvík og historien om Petters ferd til Island.
· Det islandske sildemuseet: The Herring Era Museum (Síldarminjasafnið) i Siglufjörður. Deres fotodatabase inneholder unike bilder av havnemiljøet og de norske båtene i Eyjafjörður-regionen på 1920- og 30-tallet.
Her er den samlede oversikten over de arkivreferansene og søkekildene jeg har kartlagt gjennom arbeidet. Dette er min personlige "arbeidsplan" for den videre slektsforskningen i Norge og på Island.
1. Statsarkivet i Bergen (Arkivverket, Norge)
Dette er det viktigste arkivet for å finne de juridiske dokumentene rundt dødsfallet, rederioppgjøret og arven etter Petter i Norge.
· Arkivskaper: Nordfjord sorenskriverembete [1]
· Aktuell serie 1: Dødsfallsmeldinger / Lensmannens dødsfallsprotokoll for Selje eller Sør-Vågøy (juni 1934). [1]
· Aktuell serie 2: Skifteforhandlingsprotokoller / Ekstrarettsprotokoller (1934), som inneholder detaljer om oppgjøret mellom J. L. Eltviks rederi og boet på Island [1].
· Søkeord for Arkivverkets katalog (Arkivportalen.no): Nordfjord sorenskriverembete, Skifte, Selje lensmannskontor.
2. Þjóðskjalasafn Íslands (Islands Riksarkiv, Reykjavík)
Her ligger de originale islandske dokumentene fra tidsrommet da Petter var bosatt i Dalvík og gikk bort i Akureyri.
· Arkivskaper: Sýslumaðurinn á Akureyri (Sysselmannen i Akureyri) eller Eyjafjarðarsýsla.
· Aktuell serie 1: Manntalið 1930 (Folketellingen 1930). Petter, María og barna er registrert under bostedet/huset «Tjörn» i Dalvík.
· Aktuell serie 2: Skiptabækur og dánarbú (Skiftebøker og dánarbyr/dødsbo) fra juni 1934 og utover.
3. Digitale avisarkiver (Nasjonalbiblioteket & Lokalaviser)
For å finne de levende historiene, detaljer om stormen i Måløy hamn og fangstrekordene.
· Kilde: Nasjonalbibliotekets nettbibliotek (nb.no) (Velg "Aviser")
· Relevante lokalaviser: Fjordenes Tidende og Firda og Fjordabladet.
· Konkrete søkestrenger som jeg har brukt:
o "Kvitnes" AND "Eltvik"
o "Kvitnes" AND "Måløy"
o "SF-65-S" eller "SF 65"
o "Petter Honningsvåg" eller "Pjetur Honningsvåg"
4. Skipsregistre og historiske skipsdatabaser
For å spore de tekniske detaljene og eierhistorikken til båtene knyttet til Eltvik-rederiet.
· Norges Skipsliste / Merkeregister for norske fiskefarkoster: Søk på fiskerimerkene SF-65-S (M/K «Kvitnes») og SF-5-S (M/S «Stålsund»).
· Nettbaserte skipsdatabaser: Skipet.no og Skipsrevyen sitt historiske arkiv for detaljer om overleveringer av båter.
5. Private og digitale dokumentasjonsprosjekter
· Slektshistorisk nettside: Prosjektet Home to Honningsvaag. Her ligger det allerede publiserte detaljer, bilder av huset i Dalvík og historien om Petters ferd til Island.
· Det islandske sildemuseet: The Herring Era Museum (Síldarminjasafnið) i Siglufjörður. Deres fotodatabase inneholder unike bilder av havnemiljøet og de norske båtene i Eyjafjörður-regionen på 1920- og 30-tallet.