Welcome onboard Eja!

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West Coast of Sweden , 7/9-2016

On our way north, but before leaving Swedish waters, I´d like to introduce you to our sailing boat "Eja af Slussen" :-)

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Eja is a Corsair 450, a 45 foot (almost 14 meters) fiberglass sailing boat, which we fully have dedicated for our film- and dive expeditions.

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The boat has three double cabins, one in front and two in the aft. Here is my comfi little aft cave  ;-)

The saloon...

We have had Eja for 15 years now, and have so far, been sailing over
40 000 nautical miles (approx 75 000 km) with her.

Now, its continues with yet another expedition, and we are on our way north to northern Norway, where we later hope to meet our old gigantic friends. Before reaching the whales and fjords of Troms, we have a long distance filled with adventures waiting for us.

More on the blog when having better internet connection again! :-)

Late Summer at the Swedish West Coast

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Orust - Gåsö, Swedish West Coast, August 2016

Below some random pictures from our recent week onboard "Eja", while sailing, filming and diving in the area between Orust and Gåsö at the west coast of Sweden, where we at the moment are preparing and planning for our voyage to Northern Norway. A film expedition in co-operation with Swedish National Television (SVT) :-)

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Nature, so wonderful in all its shapes and colours above- and underneath surface...

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In addition to the filming and diving, we have been testing the gear before it´s time to set sail and head north. This also includes testing our homemade "subwing á la Cri-Cri"!

Will it really make us fly underwater??

The below "before- and after pics" gives the answer... Yes!! Our new wings work and spread even bigger smiles onboard! ;-)

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Only a couple of weeks more, and we will be on our way north towards Norway. More from this in the next blogpost! Stay tuned... :-)

Starting our new film expedition!

Slussen, Orust, Sweden 10/8-2016

In co-operation with Swedish National Television (SVT), we are now getting ready for a new film expedition. Our adventure starts here, at the beautiful west coast of Sweden, from where we will later sail north towards the amazing fjord system of Northern Norway.

To start with, we are now spending some time diving and filming here, in the archipelago at the Swedish west coast. Thereafter, later in September, the voyage continues north.

Our home, or "my floating castle", as I normally call her, is "Eja af Slussen", our 45ft sailing yacht, which will be our dive base and home for the next months ahead :-)

From the island of Orust, we will then set sail and head north, with a final mission of finding the majestic giants of Norway. These are the Orcas and Humpback whales, which has been gathering in enormous numbers in the region of Troms, in Northen Norway, during the last few years.

Will we find them, and what encounters will we experience?

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A cold and exciting adventure is waiting for us!! But let us start here and now, on Orust, at the west coast of Sweden, during the month of August 2016. Stay tuned...

More  blogposts from this exiting adventure are coming soon!

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PADI AmbassaDiver

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Sweden, 11 of July 2016

For the never ending love for the Ocean and its countless fascinating inhabitants, for the eager to share my strong passion...

In hope to inspire, and to spread this immense interest and awareness for the marine life even further...

I´m now very happy to announce that I´m one of PADI´s AmbassaDivers!

PADI: Professional Association of Diving Instructors®  is the world's largest recreational diving membership and diver training organization founded in 1966: www.padi.com

This new PADI AmbassaDiver concept is a great move to spread the curiosity and respect for our unique world hiding beneath the surface to an even wider audience.

Diving is a life-changing experience which I yearn to share with others. This through both film and photography, as well as being a keen Divemaster and guide, who enthusiastically love to inspire more to get underwater with curious eyes and happy smiles on their faces :-)

Get to know me a bit more by reading this first little introduction of myself as cheerful PADI AmbassaDiver: http://diverblog.padidiver.eu/?p=2441

Beauty of the Mud

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Gullmarsfjorden, Sweden 27/6-2016

Soft bottoms are the ocean’s largest benthic* habitat. Their habitats include environments where the seabed consists of fine grain sediments, mud and sand.

One might wonder, what there is to see on muddy bottoms...

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Soft bottoms are filled with life. Inhabited by burrowing animals such as worms, snails and clams. There are also various, colourful anemones in different shapes, as well as fish, shrimps and crabs. A jungle of fascinating life for an observant eye...

These pictures are from our recent dive in Gullmarsfjorden, at the Swedish west coast.

Those spectacular marine creatures might look like flowers, but they are not. Like all other anemones and corals, both the  Sea Pen (above) and the Fireworks anemone (below) are animals :-)

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The major threat to the fragile life on soft bottoms is commercial fishing with heavy bottom trawls. 

These trawls disturb the sediments, and damage or kill many non-target animals, as they are dragged along to catch fish that live on or near the bottom. It takes years before soft bottom habitats recover once a trawl has passed by.

Therefore these fascinating habitats need a much better protection then they have today...

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*The benthic zone is the lowest level of a body of water.

Standing on water

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Orust, Sweden 15/6-2016

Have you tried Stand Up Paddle boarding (SUP)?

It was during my stay in New Caledonia in the beginning of 2014, when I first tried this fun and meditative water activity. Even though, I at first was a bit sceptical on how fun it really would be to simply stand on a board, I truly got hooked already after my first try! This resulted in me spending many hours paddling the mangrove and lagoon during most of my days spent on this beautiful South Pacific island.

Almost one year later,  I was back on a SUP again. This time in Lavanono, in Southern Madagascar, where I also got to try some small surf waves with the board... Something I would like to practice a bit more next time location and condition allows :-)

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After these two intense paddle board periods, I have been playing with the thought of having a SUP to cruise around in Scandinavian waters...

So, in June 2016, I´m now finally back paddling a board again! This time back home at the Swedish west coast :-)

Or... am I really standing up..?

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Ahh, what ever! ;-) Let me introduce you to my new adventure friend "The White Dolphin", who is a Touring SUP designed for fitness paddling, flatwater cruising and open ocean touring :-)
 

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Stand up paddle boarding is a great way to enjoy the water from above. It gives the same relaxed and meditative feeling as kayaking, but instead of sitting down, you are standing up!

No engine nor pollution needed, only balance and some muscles... ;-)

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Wether you are on flat water, in waves or chops, it´s easy to have fun on a SUP! Neither do you have to stand up or surf, a stand up paddle board offers lots of fun both for playing as well as more relaxed activities :-)

Maybe SUP yoga would be something to try?

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SUP is becoming very popular, and I truly understand why. It is a fun and easy  way to enjoy the water, nature, spend time with friends, exercise and to improve the balance. An activity I highly would recommend to all who wants to try!

Fresh air and smile guarantee included ;-)

In case I might be hard to reach, or no where to be found, you know why... We are out on adventure somewhere on the fjord, "The White Dolphin" and I! :-)