Wintersailing with northern lights and photography
21,800 NOK
januar 15 - 21. januar 2024
7 days
Our wintertime photography sailing trips have been very popular, so bring your woolen underwear and get ready for new photo tours this winter! The most special thing about these trips is all the magical light and the teeming life in the sea, which gives offer us the craziest #nofilter experiences hour after hour. On this trip we sail a whole week from the capitol of Lofoten; Svolvær all the way to the “Paris of the North”; Tromsø, via Senja, Andøya and Vesterålen.
This is a trip for those of you who want to take the most “badass” pictures of Norway’s rawest nature, during the harshest season. For those of you who want to sail through Northern Norway in the very special winter light with your camera always ready. While the batteries are charging under deck you will be learning how to sail underway. Winter sailing in the north is a unique experience and by combining it with photography we maximize our use of the day. We are always ready to take the best pictures at the perfect time, completely free of street lights or other light pollution.
During this trip we sail from Svolvær and spend one week northbound along the coast, all the way to Tromsø. On the way we will explore the areas of Vesterålen, Andøya, Senja and Southern Troms. We hope to find northern lights, and will definitely learn more about sailing and photography, as well as the areas we sail through.
Our experienced skipper will take care of the sailing instruction and navigation, while adventure photographer Norris Niman will lead the photo expedition with lots of fun and interesting content.
Norbert van Niman (Norris) is an inspiring photographer with a varied background and long experience, and we know he will share his best tricks for capturing good memories and shots. With his wide experience as a professional photographer and with an interest in remote and rugged nature, he will inspire and guide you to take first-class pictures of the surroundings in the wild winter of Northern Norway. We are looking forward to having Norris onboard as our photo-guide, and you can check out his work and style on his webpage on link here.
There are no photography knowledge prerequisites on this trip. Whether you are a professional or amateur means nothing. Just by sailing with other photo enthusiasts you will learn a lot. You don’t need to know how to sail to participate either, as you will learn alot about sailing along the way. This is a perfect chance for those of you who want to test out winter sailing, learn more about nighttime navigation, sail under different wind- and weather conditions, and always have your camera ready! If you only have a phone camera and just want to join an unforgettable trip and sail during the arctic winter, you are very welcome aboard as well!
On this trip we will use our sailing boats Humla and Bien. Pictures and more information about these boats (which are all similar sister boats) can be found here.
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Sailing the arctic seas comes with fantastic photo opportunities. Exploring vast landscapes while being constrained mostly to the space of our sailboat sparks an extra flare of creativity. We will get the chance to shoot this coast like few others have ever done before, and get a unique element of adventure in our shots.
As the sun barely rises to say hello before it sinks over the horizon again, those few hours of light will be magical, as it's a constant sunrise-sunset following us around and painting the mountains for us. This will be cold, but an epic experience indeed!
Norris Niman
Day 1: Arrival in Svolvær
Welcome aboard! We meet on the docks in Svolvær at 16:00, get settled in the sailboat and get to know each other. Before we hoist sails we'll become familiar with the boat, equipment and safety routines onboard. When ready, we set course northwards to find a sheltered natural bay. Underway we practice boat handling, "man-overboard" drills, and other emergency situations.
Day 2: Trollfjorden and Raftsundet
We start our adventure with the sail into the magical Trollfjord, with its towering mountains and peaks. The perfect place to enjoy our lunch onboard. Our route takes us further north through Raftsundet towards Vesterålen. We see how far we manage to sail towards the evening, maybe all the way past Sortland? And we’ll find a suitable anchorage or harbour for the night. Maybe the aurora borealis will lead the way?
Day 3: Full sailing-day to Andøya!
If the conditions are right, we will set our course on the outside of Andøya. This will be a full sailing day where we sail further north, a distance of around 40-50 nm. Underway we get to practice sailing, navigation, and handling the sails! We try to catch some of the winter season light with our cameras, and a cod or two with our fishing rods for dinner! We aim for the charming fishing village of Bleik for the night where some beautiful beaches await us and our bonfire for an evening under the stars!
Day 4: To Hamn on Senja and dinner on land.
After breakfast we set sail north towards Senja. Here you really should have all your batteries fully charged! We now approach an area where we possibly could meet some whales. Another full day at sea takes us to Hamn, where we are greeted by a hot bathtub and sauna, and we plan to have dinner in the restaurant in Hamn.
Day 5: Along “yttersida” of Senja to Sommarøy and Kvaløya.
After breakfast we sail out of the sheltered bay of Hamn. We continue north, aiming for Sommarøy (Summer-island), where we find beautiful anchorages, perfect white beaches and another picturesque fishing village. This far out at sea, we normally don’t find that much snow during the whole year, so if conditions are right we could have the chance for an evening hike with our head torches to the peak on Hillesøya, or along the beaches on the shore.
Day 6: Kayak in Sommarøy and sailing around Kvaløya
Sommarøy is also a mecca for paddling kayaks, and Sommarøy Adventure would love to take us out on the water around this beautiful archipelago this morning. After lunsj we sail further on the outside of Kvaløya. On this leg we do pass by places like Gåsvær where we find one of the most remote churches in Norway. We anchor for the night and hope for a blazing northern light-show!
Day 7: Sail to Tromsø and goodbye for now!
Last day on the trip offers a sail through Kvalsundet and back to Tromsø. We cast off early enough to reach Tromø after lunch and with enough time to be ready and packed out of the boat at 16:00 latest. Thanks for a wonderful experience!
The program
The program should be seen as a rough itinerary that we can adapt to the weather and conditions. We also reserve the right to change and improve our itineraries. We will have a dinghy for beach trips and small expeditions, fishing gear for cod, and gear to hike or make bonfires on the beach on all our trips - we are ready for adventure! Are you?
Included
- Trip experience with sailboat - experienced and locally familiar skipper on board
- Professional photographer/instructor on board
- Our Comfort Package which consists of accommodation onboard in a shared double cabin (bunk or double bed) with a ready-made bed (warm and nice duvets and pillows!)
- All the food we eat on board during the trip
- An environmentally friendly, local, sustainable, unique, exotic and exclusive Norwegian adventure holiday
- A shared experience and friendship with like-minded adventurers from around the world
- A lot of time outdoors - raw and honest nature experiences
- Use of our shared trip-equipment: dinghy, kayaks, fishing equipment, etc.
- All boat-related expenses such as diesel, gas, harbour fees, etc.
- Personal safety equipment, Helly Hansen inflatable lifejacket
- Advice, guidance, and practical training on sailing and boating
Not included
- Travel to and from the start/end location
- Optional meals at cafés/restaurants (we sometimes have the chance to visit local restaurants on the way, see the itinerary for more details)
- Entrance to galleries, museums, and similar, or other activities that you/we may come up with along the way
- Optional activities where we hire external guides and equipment, such as kayaking, glacier hikes, or surfing
- Drinks like wine, beer or high-exclusive apple juice and other luxury drinks (yes, we drink beer and wine on board, bring your own)
- Travel/cancellation insurance - recommended, but it’s up to you
Deposit and payment
You pay a 6000NOK deposit when you book the trip, and the rest of the payment is due 60 days before the trip begins.
Travel - in general
Sometimes we have to fly, but not always. If you have the luxury of time, we always encourage you to travel as environmentally friendly as possible. Traveling slowly also allows you to start your holiday in a special way. Cycling, taking the train, or driving a car together can be good options! Feel free to add some extra time before and after your trip, since up north the weather can be unpredictable and might affect your plans!
Travel Tromsø
The fastest option for getting to or from Tromsø is to fly. But if you have time to travel slowly we recommend doing that instead. Taking Hurtigruten south from Tromsø to Bodø and train from there is one option.
Travel Bodø
The Nordlandsbanen train line goes all the way to Bodø, and can be taken overnight from Trondheim or Oslo. This is a great way to travel and a beautiful journey from southern Norway. For timetables and prices see www.vy.no. If you live along the coast, the speed ferries or Hurtigruta are possible options either northbound or southbound. Another option is a flight to Bodø, and there are some reasonable tickets.
Safety and risk - in general
We take safety seriously and on our trips we train on handling different situations that can occur at sea. On board a boat and on trips, everyone must know what to do in potentially dangerous situations. For us it is important that you as a guest and participant are trained quickly enough to be a participant - not a passenger. It contributes to learning, a sense of achievement, and increased safety for all. It's also why our trips are considered to be sailing courses: you are trained to be one of the crewmembers on board. Feel free to contact us to discuss risk.
Level of this trip
This is a trip for all photography and nature lovers! In terms of sailing, this trip is not very difficult, but sailing in the winter gives an extra challenging dimension to it all. You must also be prepared for both calm winds and sailing in harsher weather. If you are a beginner, we want to make you a seaman/woman as soon as possible, and if you are experienced, you will quickly get responsibilities and greater challenges.
Equipment/packing
As with all activities, there is plenty of specialized equipment and clothing for sailing. If you do not have any of this, you can use regular hiking/skiing/mountain clothing. What you need is something waterproof and windproof on the outside, and warm, layered with clothes underneath. For winter sailing, the most important thing to remember is to have enough air in between the layers of clothing. So bring spacious clothes and shoes, preferably a couple sizes too large, and plenty of wool! We will send you a detailed recommended packing list in good time before departure.
Food and cooking
On our trips you will be part of the crew onboard and get the chance to participate in all aspects of the running of the sailboat. This includes the cooking, where everyone is taking turns in the galley! Skippers and guides assist as much as they can along the way. Before the trip we set up a menu and purchase what is needed. We offer good menus with healthy “boat friendly” food. If you have allergies or preferences, let us know in the registration form and we will take that into account. During the trip, we often sail by a good restaurant or two where we stop and eat.
What we expect from you
We want you to take part in the routines onboard the sailboat, whether it is sailing, docking, navigating, looking for whales and icebergs, washing up, cooking, cleaning the boat, or contributing in other ways when required. Our trips require a little work of the participants - and you must be open to contribute and open up a bit socially. We have many different people with us on our trips, and most people get along very well. Our experience is that doing things with others out in nature, and not least doing things with new people with different personalities than one might be used to, is what creates the best, most interesting and memorable stories :)
Life on board and accommodation
Life on board a sailboat is social and pleasant, but for some it can be perceived as quite intimate and crowded, which one should be prepared for. On our trips everyone participates in the operation of the sailboat and everyone is considered crew. We would like to get to know you well and hope that you will get to know everyone else on the boat as soon as possible. It requires some patience, generosity, and an open mind to thrive, but the new acquaintances and completely raw nature experiences will take your focus as soon as you become comfortable with life at sea.
Accommodation on the boat is part of the fun. The accommodation is generally in shared cabins, some of which have a double bed and some of which have bunk beds. Figuring out who sleeps where can be a bit of a puzzle, but we do believe we’ve gotten quite good at it. Let us know if you have any special needs or reservations. You must arrange any accommodation before and after the trip on your own. If you have any doubts about where to stay, we’re happy to give you some recommendations.
We have plenty of heating and good food on the boat, but not always abundance of fresh water. This means it will not be possible to shower every day, but more or less every other day we are either in a harbor with fresh water or we sail through a place where we can borrow showers or enjoy a sauna. And a morning swim in the sea is always available all year round!
What kind of people join this trip - and how many will we be on board?
Many come alone, some travel as couples, and others travel as a group of friends. The common denominator for everyone is that these are fun and interesting people you will become friends with almost no matter what. Sharing grand experiences creates strong ties! Many people wonder about the age composition of our trips, but this isn’t so important to us. It doesn't matter if you are young or old as long as you want to go on a trip and intend to do your part in making this a great trip for everyone. The number of participants varies from trip to trip. If we have many participants, we will expand with more boats and skippers.
Environment and sustainability
In general sailing is an environmentally friendly activity,, and we sail as much as we can and use the engine as little as possible. We encourage crew and participants to travel as environmentally-friendly as possible, and we use local ingredients and resources as much as we can. We also run trips where we collect litter and clean ocean trash from beaches.
Philosophically, we often say that sailing is an exercise in sustainability: we move with the wind and we have limitations on things like water, diesel, electricity and food. In order to run sustainably, knowledge, patience, flexibility, and hard work are required. The same can be said about many other things that one tries to do in a sustainable way.