USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) and MS Color Fantasy sailed through the Oslofjorden - 8x timelapse

@Gerald R. Ford
On Monday 29 May 2023 USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) sailed through the Oslofjorden from Oslo and was on its way to northern Norway.
In reality, it took around 35 minutes from the time the ship became visible until it passed us in Drøbak.
Notice which way the MS Color Fantasy chose as they sailed right after.
Used photo camera Canon EOS R7 with standard lens RF-S 18-105mm.

[@johnllamas1645]

Thank you to the beautiful people of 🇳🇴 Norway. We are glad we visited your beautiful people and country. We are your brother's, and we will protect you. Until we meet again. Thank you.🇺🇸

[@jimmern71]

Nice to have you as a guest here in Norway! :-) Welcome back!

[@pyootchnich]

Unless you are the US ambassador to Norway or the admiral of the USS Gerald R Ford, let’s just say the comment came from a place of kindness and call it a day. 😂

[@johnllamas1645]

@pyootchnich Admiral is not on a US Carrier normally. It is by a Captain, get it like most ships, pretty simple.

[@danielsmith6782]

@@johnllamas1645 Usually a deployed carrier will have a RA (0-7) with them.

[@jakfuki]

The USS Gerald Fjord

[@jimmern71]

Oslofjorden! :-)

[@spikespa5208]

But is there a fjord ford?

[@chrisbreezy-ryanbarbosa4320]

The height and quality of this footage is excellent. Great filming!

[@jimmern71]

Thank you!! :-)

[@whitemichael569]

We got your back! Much love from our Southern States ❤️.

[@ericberger6966]

Impressive and great film. All my respect to crew and capitain of the USS Gerald R. Ford, if they can make it there, they can make it everywhere.

[@tomjah]

Well, The MS Color fantasy makes it there every day. 😉

[@sgregg5257]

The Ford through the fjord. Nice

[@mickemike2148]

Freaking beautiful to see the Norwegian landscape and this carrier in the same frame!

[@48sonic69]

this clip really shows just how enormous these carriers are! wow! 🙌🏽😮

[@jimmern71]

Yes :-)

[@lukeellis8507]

you are still a toothpick compared to the size of an ocean

[@AmandaFromWisconsin]

@@lukeellis8507 🙄

[@sriunnam]

How beautiful it would be to see a 1000 tnt explosion over this carrier🥰

[@MrsAgnew]

@@sriunnam👈idiot.

[@bruhmagic1323]

Thank you, this was really cool to watch :)

[@jimmern71]

Thank you! :-)

[@seankennedy6676]

Thank you Norway for taking care of our boys for awhile!

[@danielsmith6782]

I dont know why but the little tugboat following the Ford is the funniest looking thing to me. Reminds me of a toddler just learning how to walk following its dad.

[@CobraEmergency]

This is an awesome place to see the Ford weaving it's way through such a scenic channel. Loved seeing all the security boats clearing the way and the other warship infront.

[@danwhiteman2529]

Did you notice the small black patrol(40ft I guess?) boat deterring other small craft from getting too close.

[@CobraEmergency]

@@danwhiteman2529 I did!

[@MISTERLeSkid]

Wow, that's quite a vantage point that is clearly used by lots of ship-spotters. I felt bad for the blue & white cruise ship afterward. The carrier & escorts stole all the thunder. That's a tough act to follow. Awesome video.

[@gamedayswede]

The " blue & white cruise ship" is a ferry, going between Oslo (Norway) and Kiel (Germany)

[@jimmern71]

Yes. Thank you! :-)

[@mikeef747]

Is it like the olden days, when the ship docks and the young babes line up to meet the sailors? 😎 And Norway has some gorgeous women!

[@jimmern71]

Hope all are ok about 9 months! :-D

[@mikelouis9389]

What's truly impressive is the piloting skills of the fast attack subs that always accompany American super carriers. Amazing machines.

[@spikespa5208]

Nice herding skills by the Norwegian and US Navies. Busy security "zodiacs".

[@slobama]

"subs"? didn't see one

[@mikelouis9389]

@@slobama Exactly. And yet, they WERE there. Believe me, that inlet was a lot more spacious and friendly than some of the rivers in Russia.

[@Brian_yeah_that_brian_Strang]

Right we know they went first

[@worldatpeace8979]

​@@slobamaYou don't have to see it 😅

[@lockwoodpeckinpaugh9252]

Hell of a pilot on this transit.

[@jimmern71]

Or a pilot of God?

[@bavery6957]

Man-oh-man! The trust the Captain gave to his crew - RESPECT!! This ain't about no bullshit - beautiful to see...!!

[@WideWorldofTrains]

Excellent view of the USS Gerald Ford

[@joeyjamison5772]

In Norway, they always ask: "Have You Driven A Fjord Lately?"

[@briangulley6027]

It took a lot of work to get all those planes on the flightdeck and will take just as much to put them back. Tip of the hat to the maintainers.

[@jimmern71]

Yes. :-)

[@user-os3lt5gl5l]

Absolutely awesome great just friggin beautiful footage video just amazing

[@jimmern71]

Thank u. :-)

[@robertrockwell7581]

Glad President Ford was from my State of Michigan, got the blame for Nixon but was a good President and Man R.I.P. Mr. President.

[@dave131]

Very cool !!! Thanks for doing this !

[@UKAviationMovies]

Absolutely incredible footage, great work! 😎

[@jimmern71]

Thank you! :-)

[@colinjames7569]

Shes is beautiful ❤

[@colinjames7569]

100,000 tons of displaced love ❤🇺🇸

[@av8tore71]

Great video thanks for sharing

[@ahdoeknogh]

Great spot to view it. Great video work. Zoomed in at the perfect time.

[@jimmern71]

Thank you :-)

[@joechang8696]

Very kind of Norwegians not to open fire from Oscarborg fortress. You can never really be sure of retired naval officers. Sometimes nostalgia gets the better of them

[@AzovUpdates]

actual lols

[@vogon1]

i love Norway! I was on the Ford from 2018 Jan to 2023 Dec.

[@bobboberson2024]

Very cool!

[@rickbase833]

That's one hell of a sea and anchor detail right there.

[@ronniefarnsworth6465]

Very tight for that huge CVN to sail through !!!!

[@jimmern71]

Yes!! :-) Very tight!

[@danielaknuth8478]

They could have never managed in the speed shown here😅

[@jimmern71]

@@danielaknuth8478 With Norwegian pilots on board, they can handle anything! 😀

[@ronniefarnsworth6465]

@@danielaknuth8478 Yes, no more than 5 knots !!

[@jimmern71]

They did that at about 10 knots!

[@jaysartori9032]

What a beautiful sight to see pulling in to port

[@jimmern71]

True! :-)

[@wades_world22]

When you see a video sped up like this and everything is far away in the video, its a nice reminder of just how small we really are.

[@jimmern71]

Yes. True. :-)

[@frankdayton731]

The Ford squeezed through the fjord and I'm floored!

[@eligebrown8998]

Cant believe that got that big old ship that close to shore. Definitely some deep channels there. And a lot of F18s on the deck. Great video.

[@d17a2dude]

It's the newest carrier actually

[@jimmern71]

Yes. And thank. 🙂

[@gutstompenrocker]

All those smaller boats clearing a path for the Ford. "Make way! Carrier coming thru!"

[@catherinemorris908]

Magnificent sight!

[@RabbiJochanan]

In the background at 4 mins you see the coastal fort that sank the german heavy cruiser Blücher during WW2 btw.

[@SMcCaskill]

If I had an aircraft carrier headed towards me I damn sure wouldn't be cutting across in front of it like that one boat did! Beautiful ships and beautiful water way.

[@jarvisfamily3837]

You'd be surprised. Some people just *have* to make a point. I was a JO on a supply ship back in the early 80's, homeported out of NAS Alameda on San Francisco bay. One day we were headed north toward the Bay Bridge on our way out to sea when a guy in a maroon-hulled sailboat decided he was going to "stick it to the military-industrial complex" or whatever. He was under sail, approaching from our right and aiming to pass directly in front of us. Now, in open water we would have been required to maneuver to avoid as we were a powered vessel - however, south San Francisco bay is *not* open water. I glanced up at the mast to ensure that the big black cylinder indicating "vessel constrained by draft" was hoisted (it was), then picked up the bridge wing microphone and said, "Bosun mate of the watch - sound three short blasts on the ship's whistle". Boooomp! Boooomp! Boooomp! went the whistle, and the little sailboat tacked and proceeded down our starboard side, yelling something (at a 50 yards distance all I could see was that his mouth was moving) and shaking his fist at us. I politely smiled, waved, and went on with my job. Then there were the times we made night transits through congested waterways - like in the Phillipines, going through the San Bernardino strait. First time I got to do that I was on watch with a grizzled old mustang lieutenant commander, and as we were approaching the strait all I could see were little lights on sampans all over the place, and nothing showing up on radar. I asked him, "Sir - how to we maneuver through all these fishing boats?", and he gave me some excellent advice - "Just hold your course and speed, and *they* will get out of *your* way". Those fishermen knew their business far better than I did, and they did it every night of their lives. Had no problems whatsoever. BZ fishermen-in-sampans. 🙂

[@radar335]

The guy in that sailboat is an idiot. Firstly, the recreational vessel must give way in shallow water, regardless of whether it is a sailing vessel. Secondly, a 500 meter (1,500 ft) safety zone was established around the ship, heavily communicated via the mass media. I was there myself in my own sailboat, and it was no problem to comply with the regulations and at the same time get a magnificent view.

[@rclines001]

Many of the small craft moving along beside and in front of it were there to clear people out. Small Navy boats. There were a couple really small SEAL boats bouncing around making sure it had plenty of room as well. I counted at least 6 small boats that were Navy boats. Looked like regular boats unless you knew what to look for. That's not counting the one main ship in front and one in back that was half the size of the one in front. Plus there were probably a couple pilot boats. Couldn't tell exactly which ones they were. There was at least 1, maybe 2 up front. The little Navy boats were zooming all over the place though.

[@jimmern71]

@rclines001 have right. Funny to see how people behaved in the fjord. :-)

[@aurorathearcticwolf4243]

@@jimmern71the camera speed made that 1 little RHIB look like it was going mach 100😂

[@albertorafaelcisnerosperfe4899]

Magnificent 😊🤗👏

[@jimmern71]

Thank you! 🤗

[@markrushton1516]

A US carrier navigated the tip of South America a few years ago. It's a great watch.

[@jimmern71]

Sure! :-)

[@antigonish63]

Never realized the island is so far aft on the Fords.

[@fighting_bones]

More space for aircraft

[@lockwoodpeckinpaugh9252]

New design. Better for flight ops. I was on the USS Forrestal in the 70s. Island was midway.

[@emadeldinhessain3272]

Great. Well done.

[@dawnfallon6812]

The first visit of an aircraft carrier in 65 years. The last visit was the USS Wasp (CV-18), all the way back in 1962.

[@jimmern71]

HMS "Queen Elizabeth" was in Oslo in November 2022. :-) It is a British aircraft carrier. A Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) had visited Oslo in 2018. I had put all these ships without the USS Wasp (CV-18) because I wasn't born then! :-D

[@dawnfallon6812]

@@jimmern71 Ah. I beg pardon. US aircraft carriers. The Iwo Jima is classified as a Landing Assault Ship if I recall. Basically a modern invasion all in one ship.

[@jimmern71]

@dawnfallon6812 Right about Iwo Jima. :-)

[@ferencmolnar6474]

either in 65 years and 1958, or in 61 years and 1962

[@sk8sn0surf]

Great Job! Looks like the quality work delivered by an Axis PTZ webcam!

[@jhayes1944]

Boy, that Captain must have a big set of brass ones to take that monster into that little passage.

[@j00jy]

Seeing a "boat" that big floating through what is essentially a river in the US is WILD. She will probably never sail that close to a shore in her service outside of being docked. What an amazing sight that must be for the locals.

[@queenmab7721]

I was struck by the number of boats in the harbor with the Ford, a huge aircraft carrier with enough planes and ordnance to destroy a city by itself, sailing in the midst of sailboats, pleasure boats, ocean liners and lots of spectators. The people of Norway are free of totalitarianism and live well. They dont have to worry about rocket attacks or bombs. Ships like the Ford are around to make sure this way of life doesnt change.

[@av8tore71]

My dad flew F-4's during the Vietnam war off the USS Ranger (VF-21 Free Lancers) around the time I was born 1971 at Subic Bay Philippines (Clark AFB) and grown up I never really asked my dad about his time on the carrier growing up as it wasnt very interesting to me because I lived it going frim base to base as a dependent. Now that im older I have so many questions and with my dad having passed away I sure it he was having the time of his life. Im an Army vet just retired 24 years as a JAG lawyer. I have to wait for my sin and daughter who just graduated from the Naval Academy and starting flight school down in Texas

[@jimmern71]

Much history in your family. :-)

[@johncee853]

I wonder how many people that day said, "I knew they were big but god damn!" Seeing them in videos is one thing but nothing like seeing it in person!

[@jimmern71]

You had right! :-)

[@spawntez]

awesome video !

[@chadcato887]

They must be on a world tour.

[@jimmern71]

Sure 🙂

[@Syntaxter]

Wunderschön 👍🏻

[@marktibbetts3799]

WOW,that was different.

[@417jumps3]

Beautiful monster isn’t she!!!

Flott timelapse, og perfekt plassering.. (¨,)

[@jimmern71]

Takk!! :-)

[@agskytter8977]

At 3:52 the front end/tip of the deck is inline with an opening in the rockface behind that contains a torpedo battery with a kill. On April 9th 1940 the torpedo battery fired two torpedoes that sank the German cruiser Blucher killing app 800 germans. At 4:00 the tip of the deck is just below the two 11" Krupp guns, located on top of the grassy hill, that fired two grenades that krippled Blucher. Here's an exellent movie clip of the event: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4uaapxnZq-GpLc

[@jimmern71]

Cool!

[@danielaknuth8478]

Luckily, they got them those days. Has the problem of the rotting ammunition in the dephts already been solved?

[@jimmern71]

I think not.. :-(

[@danielaknuth8478]

@@jimmern71 It's a real problem wherever they sunk some of that stuff.😞

[@jimmern71]

There are still many torpedoes and ammunition on board the German warship Blucher, which sank during the Second World War.

[@drau331]

Funfact: The "small" Color Fantasy pollutes the air much more than the giant flat.

[@jimmern71]

Yes. And without nuclear power on board.

[@JohnSmith-uy7sv]

Obviously some parts are deeper than others. The draft of the Ford is 39 ft. (12 m) that is not too much. uss durham lka 114 was 25 ft 5 in (7.75 m) amazing. 😲

[@derekmooney2771]

Just imagine if the US ever actually got pushed into a war. Their tech , size of their services and savvy ( no doubt greatly enhanced after 9/11 ) must be mind blowing.

[@jimmern71]

Yes!

[@legoguy8740]

I was there that that. In the same area as the cameraman.

[@50buttfish]

Now, realize this, there's an 18-21 year old kid steering that monster. Great work.

[@danielsmith6782]

@el060248 There most likely is. The pilot or OOD gives directions but doesn't actually control the ship. The helmsman could be anything from a PO with years of service to a enlistee just out of A school.

[@mho...]

must be kinda scary to have a big ship in these tight spaces!

[@jimmern71]

Sure! :-)

[@PongoZydeco]

Bergen and bodo lie ahead. Made that trip myself on USS COMTE DE GRASSE, DD-974, RIP ON THE BOTTOM NOW.

[@paulprovenzano3755]

That helmsman had it covered.

[@pallerasmussen7295]

More impressive that the carrier made little to no waves going thru!!

[@Ozzy-tb3iq]

I can't believe they named an Aircraft Carrier after Gerald Ford.

[@ONLYUSEmyTOILET]

What a great view you got, where in drøbak was this taken? Seeing the seahawks on the zoom in at 3:53 gave me a greater sense of size than what I got to see with my own eyes from sea level.

[@jimmern71]

Thanks! :-) This was taken at "Kopåsbatteriet" in Drøbak. no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopåsbatteriet

[@tomb7942]

Total trust involved. Carriers usually launch their airwings to a local base when coming into port. And for Norway to allow that beast to sail through and not feel even a little concerned.

[@fredjones7705]

Why would they be concerned? We're all NATO.

[@tomb7942]

@@fredjones7705 In the US, people are all too often frightened of their own shadow. Its sad, but its reality.

[@fredjones7705]

@@tomb7942 There are 12 people who have casted shadows on the Moon and they're *ALL* Americans.

[@philmorrissette]

Looks like the entire complement of aircraft was on the flight deck too. Somebody wanted to make sure somebody else got the message Loud & Clear.

[@jimmern71]

It was few again under the deck.

[@javiermonteamores477]

Que magestuoso!!!

[@davidhall8874]

Can you imagine looking in your rear view mirror and seeing that thing coming up behind you?

[@jimmern71]

In the countryside? :-D

[@DarthWaffle.]

You scratched my anchor

[@1glopz]

Strategically nerve racking boxed in perfect target

[@jimmern71]

Yes

[@bamagrad99]

Where would the Ford's USN cruiser and destroyer escorts be? Would they have gone to different ports for this visit?

[@jarvisfamily3837]

It looked like a pilot vessel was following the Ford out the fjord close astern to her and moving in reverse. I've never seen that before. What was the purpose of that? At first I thought it might have been a tugboat with lines made up to the carrier, ready to stop her forward motion quickly but I couldn't see any lines across, and the bright orange-red color is what I've seen pilot vessels painted before.

[@jimmern71]

There was only a few meters of clearance when the American warship sailed into the Oslo Fjord. Two Norwegian pilots helped to get the American warship safely past shoals and shoals. About that kan you read at that page (norwegian): www.nrk.no/osloogviken/to-norske-loser-sorger-for-at-det-amerikanske-krigsskipet-kommer-seg-trygt-inn-oslofjorden-1.16420045

[@smithbf36832]

It is a tug boat, there to help maneuver some of the tighter turns.

[@Od4n]

6:17 It was that very moment where he decided to fall out of line.

[@tracywhite9400]

yea it's done

[@mariuskuhrau761]

Yep, nice to this huge aircraft carrier making its way through this Fjord, but I will guess that the Captain of the Ford had may lookouts on station. There is just to many small boats in this Fjord that is to close for comfort, and I assume they are all considered as a high security risk. 😱

[@blueman5924]

Poor little red tug didn’t have a chance in that tug of war.😂 Neat view.👍👍

[@Ichwillkeinenaliascheisyoutube]

When are we able to see it in Hamburg ??? :-)

[@user-fj4qp5eo5j]

1,100 feet long 100,000 tons 5+ acre flight deck area Crew of 5,000 Top speed in excess of 30knots 76 aircraft aboard

[@BonesTheCat]

More ordnance on one boat than some entire countries have.

[@jimmern71]

Who know? :-)

[@asthmatic2455]

what smart person thought of posting a time lapse video?

[@TheWidebody747]

Great ship. Now if they can just get the sewer system to work.

[@trvman1]

Probably more fire power on this carrier then Norway has all together :)

[@Wick9876]

Norway has 94 F-16 and F-35 fighters, so not quite.

[@gooble69]

@@Wick9876 "Norway has 94 F-16 and F-35 fighters, so not quite." The Norwegian Air Force retired its F16's in 2016. It now only has 30 x F35's as fighter aircraft, and it looks like Ford has more than that on its deck here. Also remember that the carrier is only one of a number of vessels in the strike group. Somewhere nearby is a likely a Virginia class sub with a dozen Trident nuclear missiles onboard. Worth remembering, the largest air force in the word is the USAF. The second largest is the US Navy.

[@retiredcolonel6492]

You would think they would clear civilian boat traffic. Seems pretty vulnerable with only one escort.

[@jimmern71]

There were many patrol boats trying to chase away the intruders. :-D

[@hanniballecter388]

..ein schönes Ziel für jede Hyperschallrakete !

[@gamedayswede]

Nice video! Thought the new "flag ship" would have more F-35, but only the F-18s on the deck Maybe they hide the 35s for some reason or they just that stealthy we cant see them :P

[@jimmern71]

Perhaps one day? :-)

[@spikespa5208]

Gameday Swede 👍.

[@petewilliams5801]

Needs an upgrade to carry the F-35. The next Carrier the USS John F. Kennedy CVN-79 will come with the upgrade already installed.

[@SynchronizorVideos]

CVN-78 currently only carries Super Hornets as far as fighters go.

[@theswede3286]

@@jimmern71 Think that Uk carrier that came through in 2022 might have 35s on board. Did you get footage of that passage?

[@CertifiedBlackScreen]

Here comes liberty, democracy, human rights, freedom, capitalism etc.. etc...

[@marcushall6821]

That's pretty awesome!

[@jimmern71]

Thank you!! :-)

[@gern7535]

OK I'll say it. The USS Gerald Ford tripped and fell while transiting the Panama Canal.

[@lorenzodiaz595]

😎👍

[@LordZontar]

Hmm, life seems quite fast-paced in the Oslofjorden...

[@jimmern71]

It do! :-)

[@polestar1265]

Damn fast sailing boat 😹

[@Jeff-ej4wp]

Sail through the Taiwan Strait

[@craigpennington1251]

Certainly No speed limits for boats there.

[@renerosales3629]

USS Gerald Fjord.

[@marbleman52]

Does anyone know about how deep the water is beneath the carrier?

[@jimmern71]

Not many meters. :-)

[@marbleman52]

@@jimmern71 ...Wow...that would require some precise maneuvering. I would have guessed a lot deeper. I thought most of the fjords were really deep.