Autumn in Arctic Norway - Sailing Free Spirit

Join us in this episode as we explore Tromso, take part in a marine conservation project and sail further north experiencing the stunning colours and beauty of autumn in the Arctic. I'm Jasmine and these are my parents Guy and Joe and this is our home, Free Spirit. Come join us on our adventures. It was September and we were moored in the city of Tromso in northern Norway. We would spend a little while here waiting for deliveries and getting ready for our journey further north. On the nearby mountains the first snows and colours of autumn had begun to appear. Tromso is sometimes called the gateway to the Arctic with many polar expeditions by famed explorers such as Amundsen and Nansen having departed from here and the exploits of many of these adventures are showcased in the numerous museums around town along with the region's natural history and the incredible culture of the indigenous Sámi people. Tromso also has a fun nightlife with bands, open mic nights and some hidden gems. As volunteers we joined a conservation project led by an enthusiastic team with support from the University of Tromso and funding from the EU. The project aims to help regenerate kelp forests that are in decline. 80% of Norwegian kelp forests have disappeared due to an explosion in the population of sea urchins. We headed to Toftefjord nature reserve north of Tromso. Kelp forests are complex ecosystems providing food and shelter for many marine species. This is what a healthy forest should look like but what we saw in Toftefjord was quite the opposite. The reason for this explosion in numbers is complex but overfishing causing an imbalance in the coastal ecosystem is likely a contributing factor. Kelp forests produce a lot of the oxygen that we breathe and given that kelp is 20% more effective than rainforests at carbon storage there has never been a more important time to protect and restore these kelp forests. We were put into teams freediving with hammers and tools to help remove the sea urchins from control sites at the head of the fjord. Although it might seem brutal smashing these urchins they do provide food for other marine life. Some people also consider them a delicacy so we collected some in the hopes that local restaurants and businesses might add them to their menus. A dive team also helped to get rid of the urchins in deeper water sites. It felt good to be part of a project working to restore this precious habitat. We met a lovely and inspiring group of people and had an awesome time. Back in Tromso I put my camera underwater to see what was living underneath the pontoons. Finally after a few boat jobs we turned on the engine and headed out. It felt daunting heading north alone in our little boat at this time of year. Ahead of us the mountains loomed. The cold autumn air had a different feel to it in the grey light. Surrounded by huge snow-capped mountains on either side this felt like a wild and rugged place. As we headed up the Lingenfjord the fog-covered mountains seemed to grow even higher. This was a place of magic where gods, trolls and dragons reign. After an atmospheric journey we took up a mooring buoy beneath the Strupen glacier. In the calm waters surrounded by imposing mountains and the glowing autumn colours we marvelled at the beauty of this place. We would spend a few days here to explore and fully absorb the atmosphere. The waters were full of fish though most of them too small to eat. But more than enough for the porpoise that came to hunt in the bay. We set off in our kayaks to explore. The glacial meltwater turned the river a milky white. Everywhere we looked the landscape was ablaze with the fiery colours of autumn. Bright red lingonberries were fruiting and we collected some to make jam with. The glacial meltwater cascaded down the mountainside carving away at the rock and creating a beautiful landscape. The bright autumn leaves were a stark contrast with the white water. We had some fun participating in the art of autumn's display. We set off again and headed to the nearby island of Arroya. Here too the sea urchins had staked their claim. Arroya is a lovely island with a rich history. Remains have been found from the ancient Sami culture and dating back to the stone age. Although the island is uninhabited it had a communal cabin and even a free sauna. Usually shy arctic lemmings were everywhere desperately gathering food and reserves before the snows of winter set in. Leaves now began to fall and blanketed the ground in shades of orange, yellow and brown. The woods were alive with bird crawls as they prepared for the coming winter. We even spotted a beautiful hawk owl on the hunt. We chopped some wood for the sauna. It was a lovely experience with a hot wood fire. We finished with a cold dip and a wash in the icy waters. The island was also riddled with bunkers and caves to explore. As the days became colder it was time to set off again. We stopped off briefly in Hamnas, a trading post dating back to 1868. We marveled at the huge piles of dried fish in the warehouse. Finally we headed towards a destination that we had long been dreaming to visit, the Quenangan Fjord. Just a few weeks from now the herring run would begin, followed by large numbers of humpback whales and orca, and we wanted to be there to experience the spectacle when it happened. We headed in to the busy fishing port of Chervoy at 70 degrees of latitude. We would spend a while here exploring and completing some boat jobs before the whales arrived. It wasn't long before the first snows came. We had to be careful when walking on the slippery ice. We were filled with excitement as we looked out across the fjord that would be our home for the next month or so. The cold of winter was slowly creeping in and autumn was coming to an end. With the herring expected to arrive any day now, we let loose the mooring lines and headed out into the fjord. An ocean swell rolled in. This place felt wild and exposed. Snow clouds crept towards us. These conditions were just a small taste of what we would experience in the next few weeks. Unfortunately we didn't see any whales on this outing, but it was good to get an impression of this incredible place. We dropped anchor in the harbour of Sigulvik. The next day we set off in our kayaks to explore. We hiked up a nearby hill to look out across the fjord. The view from the top was breathtaking. Lit up by the sun in the distance, we spotted the puffs and spouts of whales as they surfaced. The herring run had begun. Please like and subscribe. A huge thank you to all my incredible patrons for helping to support the production of these videos. If you'd like to help, as well as getting early ad-free videos, then click the link in the description and join my Patreon account. Thanks for watching! Join us next time for some of the most incredible experiences of our lives. We'll have close encounters with whales and orca, and experience the harshness and raw beauty of winter in the Arctic.