Andenes, Norway
February 6 - 12, 2019
We returned from what was supposed to be another epic orca expedition off the coast of Andenes, Norway. Sadly the orca were a no show. They arrived four days prior to our arrival. They showed up, looked around for herring… but the herring, which are normally still in the area, were not there, and so the orcas left. The herring migration shifted and it seems Andenes is no longer one of their stops along this migration route. Andenes had been an epic spot to visit in years past, but that was no longer the case. It is still good for whales and wildlife, but not for the annual herring migration, and orcas, it was made popular for.

However, thankfully, we had a very enthusiastic and understanding group. They understood, that this is wildlife, and we made the most of our week. We went out to see, hoping to find them, but they were not there. However there were a lot of male sperm whales in the area. We tried to swim with them, but these big cheeky males decided they wanted nothing to do with us and made getting close to them difficult.

The great thing about this magical place is that everywhere you look, it is a postcard setting.  We explored the island, looking for moose, we didn’t find them when we were trying to photograph them, but we did see them when we were went out to go dog sledding. Oh and dog sledding, although hard on the back and ass, is a lot of fun. We also spent several nights photographing the auroras, which was amazing. And we also spent a lot of time getting to know each other, creating life long friends. I was gutted that the orcas did not show up, but I was extremely happy that this trip turned into a magic, unforgettable adventure. Thank you again to everyone who joined us out there. You guys are truly, truly amazing souls.