Arctic Wildlife Tours wish to welcome you for an experience difficult to forget. In the areas around “Kvaløya”, “Arnøya” and “Skjervøya” near the city Tromsø we will search for Humpback Whales and Killer Whales.
We depart from the harbour in Tromsø by m/s Strønstad, a small passenger ship sailing in the harsh waters around Lofoten and north- ern Norway.
We follow the Humpback Whales and Killer Whales during 5 days and nights. Sleeping on board the ship, ready for photographing whales at dorn every morning. Being on board a ship makes the possibilities more exible for where we can find the whales. We are not so vulnerable for bad weather conditions where smaller rib-boats would have to stay in the harbour. In sheltered fjords its possible even in bad weather to photograph the whales from the ship and even the zodiacs.
The trip will be flexible. Photographic opportunities on Humpback Whales and Killer Whales are the most important issue during this expedition. During this photo and wildlife expedition we will eat when we have time and photograph when we have light for it.
In the evenings we try to find places anchoring or in a harbour where we can see the Aurora Borealis and photograph it in the surrounding landscapes. Inside a warm ship, maybe listening to the whales diving nearby, we can rest and be ready for next morning when following the whales again. The crew will have contact by radio with the nearby fishing boats and they might have information about where to find the whales next morning or we start searching for them in the morning.
We shall not during this wildlife expedition contribute to existing negative impressions of nature photographers.
We will therefore try not to stress the wildlife unnecessary and follow the ethical principles for wildlife photography. We will have our chances for good pictures anyway.
We will use 2 Zodiacs when we want to get down closer to the sea and the whales. This will give all photographers great flexibility when taking pictures.
The boats will be used to get closer to photo subjects or having different angels to the subjects we will photograph. Getting closer also means greater wildlife experinces. It is a good idea to bring rubber boots due to certain wet conditions when looking for Northern lights ashore. We will use life wests or life suits whilst in the zodiacs. If needed, extra clothing can be provided by the crew onboard the ship. Zodiac cruises can last from one hour to several hours depending on what we se of interest. Please ask the guides or crew about what clothing you need during the cruises.
A wildlife photographic expedition like this gives us some challenges about the photographic techniques.
The ship’s engine and movements in the sea may present problems when photographing polar bears, etc. A monopod, IS (VR) lenses or handheld photography may present a solution. The short days in January do give us some challenges having fast shutter speeds. We need fast lenses ranging from wide angels to 70-200, 300 and 500 mm lenses. Flashes and underwater housings can be useable during the whale photo expedition. It is advisable to bring a laptop in order to transfer and review pictures as quickly as possible. There are 220V outlets in the ship for charging batteries.
Normally times for meals will be:
Breakfest 0730-0900
Lunch 1200-1300
Dinner 1930-2030
The time for the meals can be changed according to ongoing activity and interesting wildlife or other happenings in the field.
Guides and travel leaders
Accomodation onboard the ship
Coffe and tea will be available and for free
Zodiac excursions
Overnight accommodation prior to and after the trip aboard the ship
Personal expenses related to mineral water, alcohol and souvenirs aboard the ship
Travel insurance and cancellation insurance
Airport transfers to/from Tromsø
Zodas, beer and liquor