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Norwegian Sea to Bergen, Norway, End of June 2020
Summer in the north and winter in the south. This solstice was spent far out in the Norwegian Sea, at 72° North, were the sun never sets this time of the year. Only clouds or fog might dim the midnight sun...
Surrounded by the infinite horizon, I am spending this Nordic summer onboard the research ship ACC Mosby, joining a whale survey held by the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (IMR). In company of cetaceans and sea birds, we are the only ship in sight for weeks...
As observers, we look for any kind of cetacean, other marine mammal, or bigger fish. So far, we have had the great pleasure of spotting both minke whales, fin whales, killer whales, humpback whales, harbour porpoises and some few harbour seals.
With 6 °C in both water and air, we missed the big heat wave that ruled over Scandinavia the past three weeks or so.
No shortage of salty air and great sea view though!
Our time in the vast Norwegian Sea is followed by a couple of days in the second longest fjord in Norway, the 180 kilometer long Hardangerfjord, and a short, but appreciated visit to the village "Odda", beautifully situated furthest inside the Sørfjord, one of the innermost branches of the Hardangerfjord.
How good it feels to stretch the legs, and to enjoy the flourishing surroundings, after weeks at sea. Variation in life is the best!
Now a brief refuel- (and run wild) stop in Bergen to soon head out on the big blue again. Who knows what kind of aquatic wildlife we will spot during our upcoming weeks at sea!
