Welcome to the Sjønær Festival on September 10th

Welcome to a brand new ocean festival on the edge of Sunnmøre!

On September 10th, we invite you to the Sjønær Festival, a brand new festival concept on Runde that focuses on the sea and marine life.

The festival is a collaboration between the Herøy-based freediving group Njord Freediver, the seaweed farming company Tango Seaweed in Sande, and Opplev Runde at the Runde Environmental Centre. We call it "The festival above and below the sea," as our main idea behind the concept is to give more people an experience of the ocean, whether through exciting activities, engaging lectures, or social gatherings.

The vision behind the festival is for participants to leave Runde feeling that they have learned something new and interesting about the ocean—in one form or another, whether through experiences focused on the sea or through conversations with experts who have extensive knowledge and insight into the marine world.

Activities

Participants can join in on activities including freediving, scuba diving for certified divers, kayaking for both experienced and novice paddlers, shore walks, film screenings, and social events. The goal is to embrace a wide range of maritime interests for both young and old.
Naturally, the goal is also for participants to get a little wet. After all, it is an ocean festival, and we live in an activity mecca for sea-related pursuits.

Note: When registering, please select the activity you wish to participate in and add it to your cart. Please take note of the equipment and skill requirements for diving/sea kayaking.

Food

Both meals throughout the weekend will be inspired by the sea, and the festival's own seaweed influencer, Julie Kreis of Seaweed Adventure, will also ensure you get to taste some of the ocean's vegetables, which are underrated culinary delicacies.

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Program:

09:00: Welcome to Runde. Arrival and preparation for activities
09:30: Ocean activity (choose one)
- Boat diving trip
- Freediving from a boat
- Long-distance kayaking trip
- Boat trip to the bird cliffs/around Runde with Aquila
- Opportunity to try freediving with Njord Freediver
13:00: Group lunch
13:45: Introduction to Sjønær, by Marko Polter
14:00: Lill Haugen: "The Secret Life in the Ocean"
14:45: Conversation about "The Shark in the Forest", with Arnbjørg Aagesen
15:30: Summary and discussion
15:45: Break
16:00: Experience the ocean in 3D with VR goggles
16:30: Introduction to shore safari and heading out with Tango Seaweed
18:00: Dinner
19:00: Sjønær quiz and social gathering
The official program ends here, but please feel free to stay for the rest of the evening

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Get to know our organizers and partners better here:

Sparebank 1 Søre Sunnmøre
Njord Freediver
Tango Seaweed AS
Julie Cooks Green / Seaweed Adventure
Herøy Diving Club
Herøy Kayak Club
Experience Runde AS‍

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If you need accommodation or equipment rental, please send your request to booking@runde.no

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For more information, please contact Marko Polter (913 40 174), Cecil Elisabet Nerbø (95 96 70 59), or Bjørnar Torvholm Sævik (991 12 890).

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Photo: Bjørnar Torvholm Sævik/Njord Freediver