Whales, Wildlife & Wilderness                                                                                                                                                 Pam & Wayne Osborn

Orcas in the Arctic

 

Orcas in the Arctic

In late November 2017 we made  a short dash to northern Norway to photograph orcas. As warm weather mammals, we had a little trepidation about our ability to manage the cold, both on land and under the water. Fortunately with good polar gear, discomfort was only transient. Exquisitely, our arrival heralded the season’s first polar night where the sun does not climb above the horizon at 70 degrees north.

 

It is an understatement to say conditions for underwater photography were difficult. Visibility was low in these highly productive waters. Incident light was negligible and challenging for the camera’s autofocus. Despite the impediments, meeting these supremely confident alpha predators in their home territory was an unalloyed privilege. We hope the images speak for themselves, but we were captivated by the stark beauty of the fjords and the majesty of the orcas.

 

The tabs include  underwater and surface orca images and the orcas’ engagement with the herring fleet. It was also impossible to omit the craggy magnificence of the fjords and the pulsing green swirls of the Aurora borealis in this modest collection.