Whale safari

"You are not only a spectator, you also become part of a natural phenomenon that is unique."

Friday, 2000-11-10

The next 3 days were days of driving, snow, slippery streets, water, mountains and searching. However,  what was the reason why we drove1200km by car and 8 hours by boat on one weekend???

Answer: KILLER WHALES

We wanted to see some of them in their natural environment with a natural behavior. 

Therefore we started our journey at Friday morning from Luleå to the Basecamp, situated at the Tysfjord in Norway. If I speak in plural here, I mean ten exchange students from Spain, USA and Germany.

On our way to the Tysfjord, we stopped only in Kiruna and at the border to Norway. Nevertheless, the second stop was not voluntarily. Due to the low traffic at the Norwegian border, the duty-officers checked almost every passing car. Therefore, we had to go out of the cars and they tried to find something nice. Certainly, they thought => it is not normal that 10 students, who drive from Sweden to the more expensive Norway, do not have cigarettes or alcohol etc. However, we did not have anything!!

In the mountains, especially in Norway, the streets were very slippery. Dirks car has spiked tires so it was (almost) no problem but Sven had only winter tires.

After driving 9 hours with 5 people in a small car, we finally arrived. The first thing we have done was to engross the huts. Immediately after some of us occupy the kitchen and some were taking a sauna. Later we changed the positions. 

Relaxed as we were we enjoyed the One-Man-Band at the hotel and the Northern Light on the sky. There were no clouds and we hoped that the weather is the same in the next, the important day.

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Saturday, 2000-11-11

On this day, we first got an introduction in a normal whale-day. It consists chiefly of playing, hunting, eating and taking a rest. The whales are always in movement, because they cannot sleep. If they would, they would drown. The killer whale (also called orca) is the largest member of the dolphin family. They inhabit all oceans and are the most common specie of whale. Their average weight is approximately 4 tons and they may become 6-8 meters long. The fin on the ridge can become up to 1,5 m. One assumes that the female killer whales may reach an age of 80 years, while the males may reach 60 years of age. Groups of killer whales seem to be remarkably stable, with males and females staying in their natal pods for life. They feed on fish, turtles, seals and seabirds. The killer whales eat approximately 100 kg per day. The whales follow the Spring-breeding herring that invade the fjord every year from October to January for time immemorial. And with the whales come the tourist as we were. 

Around 9 o'clock we entered the boat. Dressed with gloves, cap, scarf and thick pullovers, jackets and trousers we were prepared for the coldness and the wind and equipped with camera and camcorder we have been quite prepared for the approach of whales.

But where are they?? At the first time, all stood expectant by the rail and looked for them. Instead of whales we saw a beautiful sun rising. It is wonderful to see the mountains rising directly from the water and being lighted up from the sun. We relaxed and enjoyed the boat trip. After 2 hours we got the "order" to look for the whales. They must be near by. We saw some other boats which were driving all in the same direction. We followed them and then ==> WHALES.

They were quite far away but they swam in our direction so we only had to wait. We saw them only a few minutes before they dived and we had to search again after them. There were eight whales, but it was hard to keep track of them, because you could never tell where they were going to come up next. They swam a zigzag-course so at one time they were on the left side and at the next time on the right side or straight ahead. We tried to follow and it looked like that we hunt them => they dived always when we reached them. Later the organizer explained that they were searching after fish and the zigzag is their method to hunt. 

Under this circumstances was it difficult to take a picture. Moreover were the whales in move, the light was not good and the boat wobbled all the time. So the photos are accordingly dark and blurred or both. It was better only to look and keep the pictures in ones mind. An easier and at least not a worse motive was the sunset, which diped the clouds and the water into red hues. And besides we could not find the whales after their last diving. So the captain started the way back to the Basecamp. 2 hours later with red noses and cold fingers our safari was finished. 

We concluded the day with a sauna and original Spanish omelets. Satisfied, happy and tired we slept very well.

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Sunday, 2000-11-12

The last day began early => 6.30 rang the alarm. The streets were as slippery as Friday and Sven and Dirk were not too happy that they must drive. The ferry from Bognes to the other side of the fjord was "overcrowded"  => 4 cars. But really - who else takes the ferry on a Sunday at 8 o'clock ???? (Students who are so duteously that they want reach their lectures on Monday)

Due to the road conditions, we could not drive fast and had so more time to see the wonderful Norwegian cost. It is great to see the rugged snow-covered mountains in the sunrise, the abrupt change from the water to the land and the expanse of the nature. Sometimes it was a little bit unreal. In such a surrounding, you can see how small the human being is. 

This time we crossed the border without problems and our first break was in Abisko. We got the mountains over in the daylight, for the joy of our drivers. Nevertheless, the conditions did not become better. There was fog, darkness, rain and not so much petrol in the tank. The last thing we were able to remedy before we had to push the car. 

Back in Luleå there was nothing from the fine weather of Norway, but we had our memories and impressions.

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