To me, Northern Norway, with its spectacular fjord scenery, is a paradise in itself. Nature here is strikingly beautiful with snow covered mountain peaks, long, deep fjords, glaciers and sheltered valleys.
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An Arctic Wonderland where the cold winter nights often are lightened up by the magical dancing northern light.
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For the past 8 years or so, the scenic nature of county Troms has been accompanied with yet an other amazing natural attraction.
It is the winter whales that again put the arctic winter in Northern Noway on the bucket list of many.
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The huge amount of orcas and humpbacks, gathering in the fjords to feast on the overwintering herring, is also the reason to my repeatedly annual visits here during the darkest and coldest time of the year.
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This time, I'm here during the entire month of November, guiding four winter whale trips for Waterproof Expeditions.
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Out in field, we work patiently with the animals, spending plenty time observing the behaviour of these fascinating cetaceans, to get good and gentle encounters for both animals and our guests.
The whales attract a lot of spectators and the number of whale watching boats on the fjord has rapidly been increasing every year. Despite the many vessels, we try our best to escape the crowd with the aim to be surrounded by nothing else but nature and the wildlife.
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The video below, made by Vera Gudenrath who joined our second November trip, nicely shows how we operate during our expeditions:
The growing number of tour operators does make it harder to be alone with the whales, but with enough time, will and patience, the getaway to the more isolated fjords pays off. Surrounded by the sound of silence and in company of relaxed whales, this is the magical place to be.
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The following footage is captured by Manuel Clavel Rojo, who joined our first trip of the season:
I feel very fortunate to meet so many wonderful people during our trips and to be able to share and experience this Norwegian paradise and its amazing wildlife together with fellow nature and wildlife enthusiasts.
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Video next is made by Susanne Spindler, who joined M/S Malmö´s very last winter whale trip of the year:
Time flies quickly when busy and in good company, the month of November has therefore been passing by in high speed and my guiding assignment for this winter whale season has so found an end.
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My biggest thank you to the awesome crew and co-guides for great cooperation and superb teamwork. Your countless smiles make life onboard our cozy live-aboard ship M/S Malmö a true pleasure and I hardly can wait for next time working with you all.
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Many warm thanks also to all our wonderful guests for joining our trips. The world is small for like minded people so I´m living in great hope to meet you again, whether it is in cold or warmer waters!
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Grateful for yet another wonderful month in these spectacular fjords, where the gentle giants have showed us their daily presence in great numbers, I’m now off towards further adventures.
Bye winter whales, maybe I will meet you down south, or next autumn!
Leaving the wetsuits behind, my most important piece of clothing for the entire month of November is now my drysuit.
Surrounded by snow covered mountain peaks, I'm very much looking forward to share new Arctic adventures with like-minded people here in the aw-inspiring fjords of Northern Norway!
It might sound cold to be snorkelling in these winter fjords, but when properly dressed it actually is comfortable to be roaming the underwater world even north of the Arctic circle.
Do you remember my cold water dress code shared in an previous post on the blog? In case you too are heading for some cold water adventures, here is the link: Dressing For Cold Water
And don't forget to keep moving, the drysuit dance keeps you both warm and smiling! 💃🏻
How much I love to be surrounded by the salty Ocean, to feel its calmness, its power...
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... to listen to the incoming waves and the "clunking" water sound playing on the boat haul, knowing the surrounding water body is filled with exciting marine life of various kinds.
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For me, being underneath that blue surface is the best place to be. But even during days not spent underwater, simply the closeness of the ocean fills me with the a very sweet and free feeling...
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Born on an island at the Swedish west coast, the sea and the variating coast line has always been close. With only some few fot steps to the fascinating underwater world, it naturally became my favourite element already at a very young age.
I've been drawn to the Ocean ever since. 🧜♀️
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So here I am, on the island of Sao Miguel in the Azores, surrounded by the salty breeze and the view I never get bored of;
... the vast blue Atlantic.
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Situated far west of Portugal, on the Mid- Atlantic Ridge, Azores contains of 9 volcanic islands of which Sao Miguel is the biggest one.
The pictures in this post are from the west- and north shore of Sao Miguel, except for the second pic below with the (smoky) volcanic hot springs which is from Furnas further east on the island.
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Even though the weather has been changing quite a bit since we got here in August, with more rain, wind and a decreasing over all temperature, it still feels like summer in Norway, just warmer 😉
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The immense Atlantic and the Gulf Stream keep the climate mild on the islands compared to other destinations with same latitudes.
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Still in October we have 20°C water temperature during our dives. Muito obrigada Azoresdiving for great diving in wonderful company!
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As always, time is flying way to quickly, especially when you have fun! And I'm just realising that summer might have reached an end as the calendar is showing November already (!)
So its is getting time for me to say a temporary bye to the Atlantic waves and sunsets as much colder and darker adventures above the Arctic circle are waiting!
Time to get ready for some drysuit dance soon... 💃🏻 😉
That feeling, when you let the air out of your BCD, exhale and start the descend to the underwater world. (BCD = Buoyancy Control Device, a west you use in diving to control your buoyancy).
For me, this is the world where everything makes sense and no words are needed. Where I feel the most at home and in peace.
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Still on wonderful planet Earth, it is like changing worlds when leaving the life above water to sink beneath the waves and become one with the amazing aquatic life.
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As autumn has arrived with stormy speed, also weather and sea conditions have got an increased temper 😉 🌊💨
After spending most of our time out on open water, we therefore have been finishing the pelagic filming for this year, to instead explore and film along the coast of Sao Miguel island in the Azores.
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From wreck diving at "Dori", a 130 meter long World War II liberty ship that sank not far from the port of Ponta Delgada in 1964, to visit other local dive sites searching for the highly fascinating octopuses.
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Being experts in camouflaging, we know there is someone watching us at all times, even though we might not always catch the sight of the ingenious creature itself...
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That is why we dive slowly, keeping an observant eye on each stone we pass...
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When finally finding those charming creatures, they often become very curious about us too! 😍
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Little bit difficult it can get though, to film these intelligent animals when they not only start to climb the domeport, but also up on the camera, to finally even reach the camera person!
The many curious octopuses we have met during our recent dives have made the day for us many times, and I hope we did theirs too! 🦑
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Again there are no words enough to describe the sweetness this blue world provides. So salty, yet so sweet! 💦💙💦
"Deep, vast oceans, mysterious forests or breathtaking heights, with this blog I want to share my immense passion for wonderful planet Earth. Through my work I hope to spread a keen interest in our environment and its vulnerable inhabitants. Sharing my life´s ventures in nature and among wildlife, both underwater and above. Adventures to inspirit life, raise awareness and inspire others."
