On 21st December 2023, the fourth underwater tunnel in the Faroe Islands opened: the Sandoy Tunnel. The tunnel connects central Streymoy, where Tórshavn is located, with the island of Sandoy, which has approximately 1300 residents.
Skopunarfjørður, the waterway dividing Streymoy from Sandoy and Hestur, is notorious for its challenging tidal currents and sporadic violent gusts.
The strait, at its narrowest, stretches about 5.5 km between the islands. Though ”fjørður” typically translates to fjord in Faroese, it can also denote a channel or strait, particularly when referring to a slimmer stretch of water open at both ends.
The strait gets its name from Skopun, a town located in the north of Sandoy. It acts as a geographic demarcation between the northern and southern islands. When locals discuss the northern vs. southern fjords, they’re essentially highlighting the islands on either side of this line, emphasizing the distinct dialects and, to a degree, cultural nuances of the two regions.
Historically, navigating around Skopunarfjørður wasn’t an option. Voyages between the northern and southern islands necessitated traversing this challenging waterway, either from Tórshavn or Kirkjubøur/Velbastaður on the Streymoy side to Skopun or other eastern towns on Sandoy. The ferry service, previously originating from Tórshavn, transitioned over the years to depart from Gamlarætt, located between Velbastaður and Kirkjubøur, making its way to Skopun. But the journey, particularly during winter, was often unpredictable due to the strait’s difficult conditions.
The Sandoy Tunnel: An Ambitious Undertaking
The challenges of Skopunarfjørður made the decision to build an undersea tunnel to Sandoy a welcome one. Work on the tunnel kicked off in 2016, with the ambitious plan to link the former ferry point, Gamlarætt on Streymoy, to Traðardalur on Sandoy. By 3 February 2022, the two ends of the tunnel converged, and since then, focus has shifted to road construction. On December 21, 2023, the Sandoy tunnel, stretching 10.8 km in length and descending up to 147 meters below sea level, opened to the public.
A Vision for the Future
The completion of the Sandoy tunnel will mark a monumental advancement in Faroese infrastructure, alleviating travel concerns for Sandoy’s inhabitants and eliminating the need to contend with the unpredictable Skopunarfjørður. But it’s more than just a solution - it’s a steppingstone. The grand vision is to extend this connectivity, building another tunnel linking Sandoy and Suðuroy, achieving seamless road links across the major Faroese islands.
While the final green light for the Suðuroy tunnel is still pending, the aspiration remains, and many are optimistic about its eventual realization.
Tunnel Art
Faroese artist, Edward Fuglø has created the artwork ”Díðrikur Doves and other hidden treasures” which are cave-paintings found on the walls—though these are not ochre on limestone but luminous red, white and blue lines dancing over black basalt. Light pictures shining in dark caves.
The motifs are the stories of the two places connected by the tunnel, Kirkjubøur and Sandoy. The artwork is Fuglø’s homage to Díðrikur of Skarvanes, who became the pioneer of Faroese visual arts. The 33KR stamp pictures King Sverri (1151-1202) who grew up in Kirkjubøur.
You can also listen to classical music while driving through the tunnel. On FM radio 100, you can hear the musical piece "Røddir/Voices" composed by the renowned Faroese composer, Sunleif Rasmussen, who resides on Sandoy. The piece lasts approximately 12 minutes, which is roughly equivalent to the drive time through the tunnel.
Anker Eli Petersen
