North Norway in Winter. Whales and northern lights, nature and history, places and culture

Whales and the Northern Lights have made Northern Norway an exciting and popular winter destination. And alongside these major attractions, the region boasts a fascinating history, an indigenous culture – the Sámi – and many places well worth visiting.

This book provides all the information you need before, during and after your trip, ranging from Sámi culture to the theory and practice of the Northern Lights – including tips on spotting and photographing them – right through to background knowledge about whales.

Rolf Stange has travelled extensively throughout Northern Scandinavia since the mid-1990s; whilst there, he also learnt Norwegian, amongst other things, thereby gaining access to many invaluable sources. For almost 20 years, he has been leading sailing trips in Northern Norway between Bodø and Tromsø (Lofoten, Vesterålen) and further north (Kvænangen). He has condensed his knowledge and experience – ranging from trip planning through numerous chapters on history, regional studies, regions and places, right through to whales and the Northern Lights in theory (ethics, species, physics) and practice (preparation, observation, photography) – into a compact and accessible form here.

And, as one would expect from Rolf, the book is, of course, richly illustrated with photographs, map sketches and illustrations, whilst the text is easy to read and spiced with a touch of humour.

312 pages in A5 format (14.8 x 21 cm), softcover. Over 300 colour photographs, several sketch maps and other illustrations.

Table of Contents

(slightly abridged here)

Imprint … 2
Maps and drawings (selection) … 6
1. Introduction … 7
2. Practical information: Good to know … 8
2.1 Safety … 8
2.2 Norwegian Mountain Code … 9
2.3 Emergency numbers … 10
2.4 Orientation … 10
2.5 Weather forecast and avalanche risk … 10
2.5 Photography and drones … 10
3. The region … 12
3.1 Geology: more than just rocks … 12
3.2 Geography … 17
3.3 Some history … 21
3.3.1 The Sámi … 22
Taxation, religion and Christianisation … 23
Open racism … 27
The Sámi pain … 27
The quest for cultural and political autonomy … 28
The Alta conflict … 28
Growing cultural and political self-confidence … 29
Economy in Sápmi … 31
Culture (1): sabet, guksi, goahti and gákti … 33
Culture (2): Joik … 36
Culture (3): Language … 38
The Land of Eight Seasons … 42
Sámi and tourism … 44
3.3.2 The Kvens … 46
3.3.3 Fishing, trade and settlement … 47
3.3.4 The Second World War … 51
3.3.5 Rural exodus and urban sprawl … 53
4. Places … 56
4.1 Tromsø … 57
Getting there and away: the airport and the journey into town … 58
Activities … 59
Fjellheisen and Fjellstua: Storsteinen … 59
Museums and other attractions … 62
Churches: Cathedral and Arctic Cathedral … 64
Monuments … 65
Have a nice meal … 67
What else … 69
Northern Lights viewing … 70
Even more “what else” … 71
4.2 Kvaløya and Sommarøy … 71
4.3 Finnkroken … 75
4.3 Havnnes on Uløya … 79
4.5 Nord-Lenangen … 85
4.6 Arnøyhamn … 88
The espionage drama on Arnøya … 92
4.7 Skjervøy … 97
Leonhard Seppala: Skjervøy’s most famous son … 100
4.8 Spildra … 103
4.9 Skorpa … 107
Simalango and Áhkku … 108
4.10 Kvænangstindan … 112
4.11 Reinfjord … 114
4.12 Jøkelfjord … 115
5. East of Kvænangen … 118
5.1 Alta … 120
5.2 Hammerfest … 125
Struve’s meridian arc: the shape of the Earth … 130
6. Southbound: from Tromsø to Bodø … 133
6.1 Hamn i Senja … 134
6.2 Skrolsvik … 136
6.3 Andenes … 138
6.4 Tinden … 144
6.5 Harstad … 147
6.6 Stokmarknes … 149
6.6 Raftsund and Trollfjord … 150
Vesterålen and Lofoten: Municipalities, districts, provinces? … 152
6.7 Digermulen … 159
7. Lofoten … 161
7.1 Skrova … 163
7.2 Svolvær … 167
Rorbuer … 168
7.3 Kabelvåg … 170
Lofoten during the war … 171
7.4 Henningsvær … 178
7.5 Nusfjord … 182
7.6 Reine … 185
Lofotodden National Park … 189
7.7. Vestfjord … 192
8. Nordland: The mainland coast to Bodø … 200
8.1 Tranøy … 200
8.2 Engeløya … 202
8.3 Kjerringøy … 205
8.4 Mjelle … 206
8.5 Bodø … 208
9. Climate and weather … 213
10. Light … 216
10.1 Midnight sun, twilight and polar night … 216
Midnight Sun and Polar Night … 221
10.2 Northern Lights … 225
Northern Lights: the theory … 225
Northern Lights: the practical side … 238
Northern Lights Forecast … 238
Watching the Northern Lights: Preparations … 240
11. Whales … 252
Winter whales: It all starts with herring, and it all ends with herring … 253
Whale tourism: Day trips and longer journeys … 256
Whale watching tourism: what’s going wrong and how we can do better … 259
Snorkelling: A nuisance? A nuisance! … 260
How could it be done better? … 262
Whale watching guidelines … 262
Whales: the practice of whale-watching and photography … 265
My camera bag … 268
Whales: from the sea to land and back to the sea … 270
What is swimming and blowing there: the species … 271
Orca (Orcinus orca) … 271
Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) … 281
Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) … 288
And what else … 292
Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) … 292
White-beaked dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) … 294
Long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas) … 295
Harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) … 297
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus or Physeter catodon) … 298
Table of contents … 303