Above the Arctic Circle
Kayaking in Tromsø, Norway
Tromsø, Norway feels like it is perched on top of the world. And, on days when the blue sky vaults overhead to infinity, the vastness of this Arctic land takes your breath away.
Tromsø, the largest urban area in Northern Norway, is home to a population of about 75,000 people, and is the third largest city in the world north of the Arctic Circle. Most of the city is contained on an island, Tromsøya, connected to the mainland by a long, arching bridge.
Aboard the Hurtigruten, the local cruise/ferry/postal boat, on our way all the way up to Kirkeness, in the very northernmost region of Norway, we had the chance to hop off of the boat for a day of kayaking. Even in mid-summer, the air temperature hovered in the mid-50s and the water temperature was absolutely frigid — about forty degrees Fahrenheit.
After being transported to our kayaking site via the underground freeway system (complete with traffic circles — quite an engineering feat), our guides brought us to this little red hut and suited us up with cold weather gear — snowsuits, gloves, goggles and neoprene booties. We were warned that if we fell in, we needed to get to shore as quickly as possible because of the water temperature.
And, we were off! It felt like we were floating on glass reflecting impossibly blue skies, puffy clouds and snow-capped mountains.
Sea birds, enjoying the beauty of the day, drifted overhead on the gentle breeze. The photo below is of an Arctic Tern.
And, of course, Sea Gulls were everywhere.
After our excursion, we returned to the little red hut for hot cocoa and rum cake.
While the others were eating and chatting, I was stalking this Oyster Catcher bird. I just loved his red eyes and orange feet.
Quite a vocal little bird, he tolerated me and my camera for a bit before taking to the air.
The photo below is of the outskirts of Tromsø, as we headed back out to sea aboard the Hurtiguten. I love the modern architecture of Norway — asymmetrical buildings and walls of glass.
Erika Burkhalter is a yogi, cat-mom, photographer, and lover of travel and nature, spreading her love and amazement for Mother Earth’s glories, one photo, poem or story at a time. (MS Neuropsychology, MA Yoga Studies).
I hope that you enjoyed a little glimpse into this northern realm.
You might also enjoy:
Story and Photos ©Erika Burkhalter. All rights reserved.