January 9 - Final day. The weather has kicked us around this week. So far we have only been able to get out there 2 days. Today is our final day and I am hoping we get a weather window to make it happen? Thankfully our group is very understanding. And you have to be. Not much we can do when mother ocean is roaring and baring her teeth. I have been on trips where people have thrown fits because the ocean has not been kind to us. You feel awful for those people, but it is what it is. You can’t force her to share her magic, she has to want to.
We have made the most of our time, exploring the landscape, photographing the Northern lights and the local pub. I think the one thing we all wish we would of been able to do was go dog sledding. That sounded like fun. Or at least photograph the dogs. That would of been great as well. But we didn't get a shot at it. Perhaps next season I will include it in the adventure?
8:30AM - I just walked out to check the weather and it has started snowing, I have tried to stay positive and determined that today would be the day that we get out…but I just don’t know if it is going to happen. Camera gear is ready and we are on stand by if it does happen. We will see?
9AM - We get the call! We are going to give it a try. A rush of gear madness begins and then we are off. We head out into the ocean. It is less wind, but its snowing. So crazy when you think about what we are doing. We are going out into freezing arctic waters to go swim with giant predatory dolphins. Crazy wild and I absolutely love it!
Sadly we did not find the orcas, we found a couple of feeding humpbacks and we were hoping the orcas would show up, they are often found feeding together. The reality is, the orcas were not here, the huge pods are late. They have been consistently here for the past 6 years. This season the herring were off their normal schedule. People are scratching their heads trying to figure out why? I’ll just keep watching the rest of the season to see how it ends.
Thankfully we got to see the orcas, of course the encounters were not what we were all hoping for. But that is why you keep coming back out here, because you never know what and when the ocean will deliver her magic and I know what this place is like when it is happening. The encounters are some of the greatest you will ever experience.
January 10 - It sounds like the weather is starting to let up and I wish I could stay longer, becuase this could be the week we were dreaming of…but sadly I can’t. My schedule is pushing me forward and I need to be in the Bahamas in a few days. So I reluctantly said goodbye to my friends here in Norway and our shark family who joined us and I am off. I have an over night layover in New York, going to stay at my buddy Jaime’s place. Jaime is part of our crazy shark family, so looking forward to seeing him and catching up. And in the morning I am heading home for a few days of family time and to prep for two weeks of tigers and great hammerheads. Thank you Norway, despite the craziness of the weather, you were amazing and I will see you again next season. Oh hell yes, we will be back!